Adventure of a Lifetime
by Cambreon
Summary: After Midori returns to Earth with the Z-fighters, what's she to find? A dysfunctional family? Quirky friends? Maybe even a new love... Kicks off in Broly movie, followed by Cell Games. One-sided with possible GokuOC, follows OC through DBZ storyline. Rated T for violence/swearing.
1. King of His Own Planet

**Chapter One! ...If you've seen the first Broly movie a thousand times, then you know the drill...**

**The story will follow my OC throughout the DBZ storyline (and movies, if I can fit them in without deviating from the original anime/manga plot too much), told in first person where she is concerned, otherwise third person.**

**Remember when reading: "**Dialogue**" - '**thoughts**' - **_flashback sequence - _**Setting -****_ telepathy/flashback in a flashback _**(hahaha...**)**

...** = time passing**

line/bookmark thing** = elsewhere/switch POV**

**Disclaimer: DBZ and any of its likeliness doesn't belong to me... only Midori, and future OCs if I feel the need for them.**

* * *

Not too far off loomed the South galaxy. Huge, glistening stars cast a soft glow upon majestic planets like enormous fireflies, giving them a peaceful aura.

Not a soul took notice of the small green light that flickered; why would they?

Not until it grew and grew, becoming something far more devastating than a lick of green flame.

On each inhabited planet, buildings exploded and crumbled to the streets, crushing any life unlucky to be caught beneath them. The stars above erupted, turning the sky from a tranquil azure to the color of bright blood. Fluorescent green bombs turned bodies of land and water into fiery craters whilst smaller worlds were reduced to rubble.

Everywhere it was the same.

The South Galaxy had been shattered...

By who, you may ask? Why, that man standing right over there: The Legendary Super Saiyan…

* * *

_An incredibly nervous King Kai stood on the driveway of __his __quaint home-planet, sunglasses reflecting ominously and arms folded stiffly behind his back. What kind of energy had he just felt? It was ridiculously powerful—something he might have conjured up in his wildest dream!_

'_Oh no..! It's all gone...' Panic gripped the short Kai tighter than his dark, leather boots. "It's just as I feared…"_

_The small, bustling monkey (known as Bubbles) stopped in the middle of his frolicking to look up at his companion curiously. He could always tell when the Northern King was edgy._

"_We've got to do something! Our galaxy's next!"_

* * *

_"…" Empty coal eyes stared off into space, a gaze so indefinite that they could be looking at everything and nothing at once._

_Two voices conversed nearby:_

_"So, Paragus, are you saying that you're going to find Vegeta? To rebuild the Saiyan race, that is."_

_"Yes, Midori. I believe that the Saiyans should have another chance to flourish."_

_"But what if Vegeta doesn't want to leave Earth?"_

_"I have thought about that occurrence and I have a back-up plan."_

_"What would that be?"_

_"The Legendary Super Saiyan."_

_"…"_

_"…What will that do for us, Paragus?" Cautious onyx eyes cast a sideways glance to the solemn star-gazer._

_"Even if he declines the offer, he will most definitely want to help us defeat the Saiyan of legend; that I am sure off. But, of course, he will never be able to locate him until it's too late…" his voice held menacing undertones._

_"Too late?"_

_"What I mean to say is, Vegeta will have been here on this planet long enough to have changed his mind about not wanting to leave Earth behind."_

_"...This is all… so wonderful, Paragus. I wish we could have tracked Vegeta down sooner. Now I will be reunited with my sibling, and the Saiyan race will be reborn." There was a far off note in her voice that suggested she had other things on her mind._

_"I am happy that you are happy, my dear…"_

_"Isn't this wonderful, Broly?" Whether the warmth in her voice was genuine or not, the two males would never know._

_"… Yes."_

_Unannounced to Broly, both Saiyans beside him were plotting their own twists to the so-called re-population plan._

* * *

Looking down on West City was such a beautiful sight to behold with its cherry blossom trees in full bloom. It was like a fairy-tale scene amidst a bustling metropolis: pink petals floated down at a teasingly slow rate, only to be cast back up with the wind. The process continued as citizens below were graced with their flowery charm.

This would have been a wonderful opportunity of a day to just get away and have some fun... Well, for most.

"Goku, pay attention! This is the parent's interview section." The voice of an average, tired-of-nagging wife rang out through the urban fairy-tale scene. "Remember, we're being tested to make sure that we provide a healthy, educational environment for our son." No matter how many times she repeated herself, it seemed her husband had other things on his mind. Chichi may as well have been preaching to the deaf.

Goku pouted and tugged lightly at his shirt. The brown business suit he'd been forced into that morning was a far cry from his usual baggy, orange getup. "But Gohan, Bulma, and everyone else went out to the country to have a picnic!" His voice was whiny: something a few strangers listening in found odd for someone of his age. "I really wanted to go too... Think we can meet up afterwards?"

They slowly made their way through a line of other waiting parents. The said line was so long that it wrapped around the entire block of the building where the fate of Gohan's education would ultimately be decided.

"I doubt it, Goku. At this pace it will take another two hours." The Ox-King's daughter scanned the crowd of formally dressed adults.

Goku stopped in his tracks, staring at his wife in disbelief. "_What?_ Two hours? But this suit is so stiff and uncomfortable. This is not my look, Chichi!" he exclaimed, fidgeting desperately in an attempt to adjust the dress suit he'd adorned for the occasion.

Starting to get infuriated with her husbands' childishness, Chichi spun around in her heels, glaring dangerously at Goku. Her baby would _not_ grow up to be like his father, _just _because Goku was feeling uncomfortable.

"THIS PRIVATE SCHOOL IS ONE OF THE FINEST IN THE WORLD! GOHAN MIGHT JUST GET ACCEPTED IF YOU MANAGE TO BEHAVE FOR TWO LOUSY HOURS AND ANSWER A _FEW ROUTINE QUESTIONS!_" she screeched, throwing her hands up into the air in a fit of rage.

Goku winced at the ferocity of his wife, the _only_ person who could instill fear in him, as everyone in front and behind the couple stared, silently feeling for the man with the firecracker for a spouse.

Chichi sighed once she had regained her composure, the breezy weather helping to cool her fiery temper. "Okay, let's practice again. What are your hobbies?" She absentmindedly reached up to fix her bun.

Goku scratched his head in confusion. Inside the Saiyan's skull, dozens of little Gokus dug for the meaning of the word. "Um...a hobby is something you like, right? To fight with powerful opponents, of course!" he stated cheerfully. What could have been better than that?

Chichi smacked her forehead in frustration. What could have been _worse_ than that? "_No!_ You can't say that! You say: _My hobbies are reading and sports!_"

Goku looked down at the ground and pouted in disappointment. "But I don't even own a book."

Chichi spared her alien husband a brief glance before sighing in even more frustration.

* * *

Gohan, Bulma (with baby Trunks), Mr. and Mrs. Brief, Oolong, Master Roshi, Krillin, and _even _Vegeta were at the park that day. They all sat grouped together in a circle under the aforesaid lovely cherry-blossom trees.

This was all with the exception of Vegeta, who sat behind his own tree, not too far off from the rest.

Trunks (from the future) had also tagged along. After all, where he came from, he would never have had this kind of opportunity.

The main attraction was Master Roshi, who stood in the center of them all, balancing plates on a chopstick that in turn was balanced on his foot. The old warrior was the kind of man who could do the unthinkable when enlightened by… _social_ beverages. With great precision, he kicked the whole thing off of his foot, into the air, and caught the stick with his mouth, managing to catch the plates on it with unbelievable accuracy.

Bulma watched in awe as the smaller Trunks giggled and flailed his tiny arms about. "This is what happens when you hide his magazines." she couldn't help but laugh, relieved that the old man had put his pervy ways aside, if only for a bit.

Gohan also laughed in amusement as the old man walked backwards while still balancing the plates. "You gotta teach me how to do that!" the ten-year old exclaimed.

Oolong the pig, who sat next to Gohan, applauded Master Roshi.

All was well with the world, and it seemed the gang was having a great time. _Nothing_ could damper the mood…

* * *

_On planet Yardrat, a Saiyan girl stood alone in a meadow-like clearing, her onyx eyes scanning the yellow-green sky above her intently. The wind no longer blew her shortly cropped hair, but seemed to sit heavy like the feeling in her stomach._

_Something was off._

_She narrowed her eyes up at a small white object falling through the atmosphere._

'_A space ship?' She'd had a decade to get to know the world, and space travel was nothing new. Planet Yardrat received many foreign visitors… but why was she getting such a bad vibe from the shuttle?_

_The little Saiyan wasn't kept waiting for long as she watched the ship crash land out of the corner of her eye, about a couple hundred yards away from her position._

_Smoke and debris clouded all view, but when the dust cleared, a hefty crater was left out in the open to gape up at the lazy clouds._

_Still staring up at the sky where it had been only seconds before, she brought a small hand up to her chin and rubbed it as if deep in thought. "People seem to use that model quite a lot." she wasn't sure what to make of the situation._

"_I guess I could go check it out. That wasn't a nice landing... Someone might need my help." Being as young as she was, merely ten, the uneasy feelings lifted as easily as she would bat an eyelash, and the girl __eagerly __ proceeded towards the wreckage. If the aliens were hostile, they wouldn't be a problem for her. Being foreign to Yardrat herself, she was much stronger than the general population…_

"_What if they're Saiyans? Their energy feels like mine!" she picked up her feet a bit more, too excited to use common sense: that flying would place her there within five seconds. 'They use that kind of ship, too!'_

_Seeing another one of those space pods sent her emotions tumbling in circles. She was anxious at their sudden arrival, scared of their intentions, and happy that they might be of her race—all at once. From what she heard a few years ago, planet Vegeta had been destroyed only a week or two before she was born._

_But that didn't stop her from believing. As long as she could remember, she would have these weird dreams, of a boy with hair so spiky it stood up vertically, and a tail just like hers._ _The boy would stand before her seated person, dressed royally and all, and place a gloved hand under her chin, smirking childishly._

_"__**Keep your chin up, kid. You are the princess of all Saiyans. You've got to show the universe what you're made of. And don't forget the one most important thing to a Saiyan: their pride…"**_

_Her mother, who was one of the many concubines of king Vegeta, had fled the planet because of the cold-hearted dictator named Frieza, who controlled everyone and killed those that got in his way. __Frieza had even brought their mighty King to the river of death._

_Finally reaching the crater-held spaceship, she noticed it was a lot smaller than she thought it would be. It was one of the space pods that fit only one person._

_Squatting down in front of it, she used her tail to pick up a stick that was behind her and began to prod the tiny ship. Normally she wouldn't have gone up to anything she knew was dangerous, but the life force coming from the contraption was fairly weak._

_Finally making up her mind, she rose to her feet, tossed the stick, and placed one hand on each side of the door of the pod as if ready to pick it up. With a small grunt she ripped the door clean off its hinges, turning casually to toss it behind her. Twisting back around, she gasped at the sight she saw: A man looking in his late thirties with spiky, black hair lay there with a boy in his arms, both of them looking only half alive. The kid appeared to be no older than her and had long black hair._

_Right away she knew they were Saiyans. One: being the spaceship they used, Two: being they both had tails wrapped around their waists._

"_Great Kais!" she exclaimed, taking a step back as she clapped her hands to her cheeks in surprise._

_She took a deep breath and walked back up to the pod. Getting down on her knees, she reached out and got a hold of the boy's arm, draping it over her shoulder carefully. Placing her index and pointer finger on her forehead, she closed her eyes for a brief moment. In a zip of light they were gone._

_The girl appeared again with the boy at the edge of the crater, carefully laying him out on his back. Judging by the looks of the boy, she had to assume that he'd gotten into a huge brawl. His clothes were torn and tattered, not to mention the dried blood and bruises._

"_Hey boy," she whispered, shaking his shoulder ever so slightly. When that didn't work, she started slapping his cheeks. _"…_Hey bo-" before she could blink again, his hand shot up and seized her wrist, causing her to yelp in surprise._

_His eyes flashed warningly between black and turquoise. "Don't... touch...me..." the terse words escaped through gritted teeth._

_The girl gasped in fear, already pulling back, but with his vice grip on her it was useless. "Let… let _go_ of me!" she finally found her voice and yelled angrily._

_The boy attached to her only growled. His eyes flickered between its natural black and a bluish green color, finally siding with turquoise as his hair started to float._

_In honest shock, she could only sit and be baffled at how quickly his energy was rising. She didn't even notice him let go of her._

_The boy threw his head back and screamed, conceiving a strong gust of energy that knocked her back a dozen feet. She had to cover her eyes from all the sand that was flying around._

_When she looked back up, her mouth fell open in astonishment. This was no ordinary Saiyan boy._

_..._

"_My name is Meedo-Ree, child of Celaria and the Great King Vegeta." she replied proudly as she stood as tall as her child body would allow._

_The man smirked, replying, "Well then, your highness, I am Paragus and that is my son Broly." Paragus pointed over her shoulder, where Broly stood stoically._

_He then held his hand out to her. "I suggest you memorize those names, because I'd absolutely love it if you could join us."_

_Midori narrowed her eyes at Paragus. She didn't trust him at all._

"_I also suggest you accept my offer, because if you don't… I'll have Broly destroy this whole planet."_

_She gasped in surprise, thinking, 'They want me to come with them that bad?'_

_Without another thought, she slowly reached out and placed her petite hand in Paragus' large palm and shook his hand._

_..._

_Midori strayed as far as possible from Broly. The boy was violent. But other times he could be so shy and silent… even downright adorable. And as much as she hated to admit it, there was a slight attraction held for the solemn Saiyan._

_She couldn't help but stare at Broly's face. He had the deepest onyx eyes and silkiest raven hair she had ever seen. If only he could have been nicer…_

"_What are you staring at?" he asked, sending her an annoyed glance._

"_Um... nothing," she answered, turning away quickly so he wouldn't notice her blush._

_..._

_Broly stood over Midori's bedside, her pale hand clasped tightly in his shaking pair._

"_Wake up...please..." he whimpered to her unmoving form. His voice had matured, along with his body over the last five years._

_The soft click of a door, followed by footsteps, invaded Broly's sensitive hearing._

_"Midori will need a blood transplant. My son, you are the only one with the matching blood type." Paragus stated, placing a comforting hand on his son's bare shoulder._

* * *

**One day ago:**

My eyes slid open laggardly when I felt an energy surge next to me. Really, it's what kept me from my beauty sleep. 'He's probably having a dream,' I proposed, rolling over on my side to face my sleeping mate. He had a somewhat distressed look upon his face. I sighed wearily and stood up, walking to the other side of the room. There was no use in lying next to him if he was going to wake up with his "guns blazing"...

'The boy of my dreams,' I thought with a sour laugh, referring to the dream of mini flashbacks I had just had.

Although some of the memories had been slightly off... like Paragus threatening to blow up my home planet. Not quite able to recall _exactly _why, I blamed my joining Paragus and Broly on being young. Not to mention my naivety at the time. I was actually regretting that now.

But, if I had not joined them, I wouldn't have gotten the chance to scratch that darned itch I was born with; the one that yearned for battle... that craved pain and being able to return pain... 'There was only so much the peaceful natives of my homeplanet could do to relieve my restlessness as a child.'

My journey with the two men had started out okay (I'd learned how to work around Broly's mood swings). Then it was _more _than okay. There was love (And adventure… lots of action and adventure). But alas, that had slipped from my sturdy grasp a long time ago. All the anger Broly had inside of him was always taken out on his father, me (we both had a few permanent reminders), or any unlucky innocent that crossed paths with us...

I had even tried to escape a couple of times, but the result of my being caught almost ended in death from the beatings I received.

And so I'd tried to stay put like a good girl... All was fine if I stayed put and behaved… until something _else_ angered him.

The only pleasant thing in my life was Paragus, who was like the father to me that King Vegeta never got to be, training me and sharpening all of my skills. Despite the rough beginnings, Paragus was more of a father to me than he was to his own son. Half of the time he kept Broly locked up, solitary. But it was only for his and everyone else's safety.

'Broly... he is... complex.' Some doctors had diagnosed him with Bi-Polar disorder. One moment he would be deep in thought, a very timid man, and other times he would lose all self control; it took a whole population's demise to settle him down.

'But I know better.' I knew that this was something much more that: it was his limitless supply of power. 'It drove him crazy, I know it...'

But of course, that mostly happened when he was _enraged_ at something...or someone. I wish I could say I still loved him, but the Broly I once loved had been drastically fading away each day.

And _Paragus_, I would lie to him whenever he saw me bruised and battered. I just blamed it on all the fights we got into with the Planet's locals. We were wanted throughout galaxy districts after all...

'Why _do_ I let myself live like this? If I can't live a free life, then why don't I just let Broly get rid of me once and for all?' ...I could just imagine it. Actually _trying_ to anger him… it wouldn't be hard.

Shaking my head free of the unpleasant thoughts, I walked over to the bathroom. The bathtub (that was carved into the floor) was filled with hot water. The tub itself was about one third the size of an Olympic swimming pool; compliments of palace life.

I dipped a single hand into the pool and frowned, 'Too hot.' so I sat cross-legged for a while, allowing it some cooling time.

Barely two minutes had passed before I became restless and decided to begin undressing. In one swift motion I pulled the plain sleeping tunic over my head and tossed it over my shoulder. I gazed into my wavering reflection in the water, studying it closely.

Everything about my face was sharp. Black bangs that naturally swept to the side and short hair reaching just below chin level, which flared out at the tips. My already narrow eyes were almost always squinted, as if being forced to see something too small. A straight pointed nose and thin lips. Nothing special. But, at least I was one of those women who compensated for my boyish charm with a healthy helping of chest.

A little lower there were a few minor scars scattered across my abdomen and arms. Battle scars.

When the water finally cooled down a bit, I swam around, seeing as how the tub was almost five feet deep. Just trying to prolong the start of my day… A day that held _mystery _and _wonders_ in my future.

After a while of bathing myself I got out and dried my pruned body, shaking my head like a furry animal, causing water droplets to sprinkle on my sleeping-wear. I didn't bother brushing my hair either. Saiyan hair was un-tamable. It would perk back up into its original style soon, anyway.

Preparing to exit the room, I noticed something out of the corner of my eye that wasn't there before. I turned around fully to see a pile of clothes with my favorite jewelry sitting on the floor.

My eyes widened at bit. "I must have been pretty distracted to not notice him come in..." I mumbled, picking up the pile of clothing.

It was a soft, cream-colored tunic with white borders, white pants, and slip on shoes to match the tunic. The accessories consisted of my signature gold armbands, a jeweled tiara, and a necklace. The latter two weren't things I _usually _wore, but Broly had an affinity for shiny things.

Walking down one of the corridors, the emptiness of the palace hit me. It was odd not to see little alien servants scampering around, followed closely by agitated soldiers. Everyone's energy signals were near the main entrance.

"I know I'm being lazy today, but..." I reasoned to myself silently as I placed my index and middle finger to my forehead and closed my eyes. In an instant I was gone from sight.

…

Broly stood stiffly at the main entrance of his father's palace, his arms crossed, chiseled face virtually emotionless.

Today would be the day that his father would go to Earth and bring back Prince Vegeta. It was all a part of his big plot to lure Vegeta into reestablishing the Saiyan race, with The Legendary Super Saiyan (if Vegeta refused) as the bait.

Broly watched as the spaceship was preparing for takeoff.

I wondered what would happen if they never found this Saiyan of legend, who was right in front of them. Would he really stay like Paragus had predicted? Or leave, because he was only interested in finding the legend.

Or, if Vegeta _did _find out about Broly, would he fight him? Broly would get… angry… Vegeta would be dead, and there goes our king, and… my long lost brother.

'There goes my chance to use Paragus' plan to escape to Earth…'

Broly's tail twitched slightly. There was a mild disturbance in the air around him. The tall Saiyan turned to inspect the ground to his left as a pair of feet came into view. Those feet just happened to be attached to a body—the said body belonging to yours truly.

"Midori. What took you? You knew my father was leaving today." he questioned me in a somewhat annoyed fashion, but managed to keep his usual dullness before averting his gaze from me to the all-consuming sky.

I replied innocently, "I guess... it just slipped my mind." I only lied to his face when he knew I was lying. And he knew that I knew that he knew I was lying... Hmm.

"Yes, of course it did." he snorted sarcastically. It was funny how he could become annoyed or shocked like any normal person, having normal reactions, but the tiniest—_oddest _things would set him off!

Paragus had said that I should be up and ready by the time he was there or he would leave without me.

'He's the one that said I would help his cause, being Vegeta's sister and all… Why is he in such a rush?'

For a second I thought about using my instant transmission, but decided against it. I didn't want to get my hopes up too high. There was a big chance this would blow up in our faces. I really didn't feel like being there for the potential rejection.

'He'll probably turn tail when he sees this barren world anyway…' The planet we were situated on was nothing but an inhabited wasteland. The best part of it was the palace we were housed in, the surrounding forest, and the lake. Beyond that was a desert-like hell.

I had faith in Paragus' great charismatic ways, though.

I watched as the egg-shaped shuttle of Paragus' blasted off into space with a mighty gust of flame. I furrowed my eyebrows, turned around and slowly walked away. It would be a long two-day's wait.

* * *

**Back to present time**-

"OOOOOH I JUST WANNA BEEE YOUR PUPPYYY! AHHHH~!" Krillin wailed mercilessly into a microphone as he stood on a small makeshift stage in front of his friends.

"He's fantastic!" exclaimed Mrs. Brief as she leaned into her husband.

"I guess that's one way of putting it," Mr. Brief laughed as he stared on at Krillin.

Truth be told… Krillin sounded horrible!

Trunks stared at his bald companion, unable to restrain himself from shaking his head. "Could anyone possibly think this is good...?" he asked to himself, partly wishing he had a set of earplugs.

Gohan watched with his mouth slightly agape, while Master Roshi raised his shot of Sake and laughed. "Yeah! Sing it! ...Puppy songs!" the elder man exclaimed in his drunken state.

Little Trunks flailed his arms and legs around in delight as Bulma looked on at the whole scenario with raised brows.

"-AND THEN, SOMEDAY I…" he continued to "sing".

Vegeta, who was also unfortunate enough to be seated next to all of this, was becoming quite the irritable prince.

"Erg, I just can't _stand _it any longer!" he growled as he tightened his fists. That microphone was gonna' be shoved down the midget's throat if it didn't end soon.

Krillin took a deep intake of breath, preparing for another wail when something caught his attention, his eyes abruptly shifting to the sky, mouth still open.

A humongous egg shaped spacecraft landed in a clearing not too far from where the whole crew was sitting.

Krillin gaped at the sight for a couple of seconds, but then returned to his karaoke song as if the new phenomenon was an everyday sort of thing. In their case… it _was._

A giant door opened from the ship and a hundred alien soldiers in dark green armor piled out, surrounding the area.

Trunks and Gohan reacted quickly, the young Saiyans flying straight towards the action.

Vegeta opened his now narrowed eyes as the soldiers came to a halt in front of him, bowing before his seated form.

"Sir!" said one of the closest.

The scowling prince rose to his feet with a demeanor that stressed no foolery. "What's the meaning of this?" he demanded roughly.

To answer his question, a man emerged from the sea of bowed soldiers before Vegeta. He had hair much like the prince's, except wilder, with bushy sideburns and a mustache to boot. "At long last, we've found you, Prince Vegeta." he announced, respectfully kneeling down in front of him as the rest did.

A smirk found its way across Vegeta's face. "You're a Saiyan, aren't you?"

"Yes. I am Paragus," he replied, looking Vegeta square in the eyes.

In the background, Krillin's singing could still be painfully heard. But everybody in the park was seemingly gone, minus his friends—the only ones still hanging around the weird scene.

Krillin finally noticed this and looked around in confusion as to why nobody was present.

* * *

It was finally Chichi and Goku's turn for the interview. A teacher was skimming over some of Gohan's files and records, flipping through its pages every few seconds. A few other adults sat by his side; more than likely they were on the school board.

"We have always hoped our Gohan would be a great scholar, and we have done our best to provide a stable home environment filled with positive re-enforcement and healthy learning." Chichi explained to the group of people sitting in front of her.

Meanwhile, Goku sat next to her trying desperately to adjust the uncomfortable tie he was wearing. Dang that tie of his...

"_**Goku. Goku! Can you hear me?" **_A rather stressed, but familiar voice called out to the Saiyan telepathically.

"Huh? Oh, it's King Kai." he murmured, looking up and smiling. _**"Hey! King Kai, how's it goin'?" **_Goku greeted cheerfully through the telepathic link.

"_**Goku, I need to see you immediately. Do not delay, it's an emergency."**_

Goku's eyes widened as he grimaced at King Kai's words. _**"No way! I can't leave right now! I'm stuck in a very important interview with Chichi. Plus, if I don't answer all the questions the way she wants me to, Chichi said she won't let me eat dinner or desert tonight,"**_ he disagreed in a childish tone.

He sounded like the kid who couldn't have the shiny red ball that was on display in the toy store.

King Kai's eyebrow twitched as he proceeded to yell at Goku: _**"I'LL COOK YOU SOME HAMBURGERS! JUST GET HERE!"**_

Goku winced at the volume of King Kai's voice in his head.

"_**Look—the Earth is in trouble. Something terrible has happened, and the whole galaxy could be destroyed."**_

Goku's eyes widened in alarm as his hands reflexively clutched his knees. "THAT'S TERRIBLE!" he exclaimed out loud, just now fading back into reality.

"Uh—terribly _excited _to send Gohan to your school, that is." Chichi intervened nervously, mentally slapping her airhead husband for his random outbursts.

The man in the green suit that was checking out Gohan's files nodded casually.

"Yes, now Mr. Goku, what are your hobbies?" he questioned, smiling at the man in a friendly manner.

Chichi shifted in her seat anxiously as she stared at Goku, waiting for an answer. "Goku..." she hissed, nudging him lightly in the rib cage.

"Right. Let me see...Um, my hobbies are reading and uh—"

"And sports," His wife finished for him.

Goku abruptly stood from the chair he was sitting in, causing it to fall over. "Ah, sorry..." he apologized, looking down at Chichi.

Her heart skipped a beat. He was _not _about to ruin this. "Goku..._What?_" she asked, staring up at him from her seat.

"Chichi, I know this is really important to you, but I have to go. Something urgent has come up," he replied, placing his index and middle finger on his forehead.

Like a flash, Goku was soon out of sight.

Dress suite wrinkled and hair frayed, Chichi shot up and gave a cry of frustration as she clutched her head.

The three teachers all stared and gaped in utter shock. "Ma' am, is your husband a magician or something..?" one asked shakily.

Chichi huffed and balled her fists in anger. "READING AND SPORTS ARE HIS FAVORITE HOBBIES!" she shrieked with a finishing growl.

* * *

**Yay, chapter one! I had fun writing the Goku/Chichi parts, despite how much I dislike her -_- Srsly, you know a character sucks when your mother (who's 40 years older than you) watches the show with you from time to time and comments "What a b-i-t-c-h!". True story(ies) xD**

**So yeah, I like reviews as much as the next person :) Let me know what I'm doing wrong/right!**


	2. Those Who Fight

**Chapter 2: (insert disclaimer) enjoy the show!**

* * *

Back in the park, Vegeta was still conversing with Paragus. The small remainder of people that had opted to stay watched on with fear and curiosity of the foreign newcomers.

The older, battle-scarred Saiyan stood before Earth's alien prince, draped in a long white cape, combat armor underneath. "I've come to graciously ask you to be the king of our new planet. Its name is New Vegeta, in your honor," Paragus announced, still bowing before him.

"What?" Now Vegeta's attention was caught. "A _new _planet Vegeta?" The younger Saiyan questioned, taking a step forward.

... It couldn't have been easier in Paragus' wildest dreams.

"Yes, my lord… and at long last, we can once again show the entire universe the strength―" he began, rising to his feet and holding his gloved hands up to the sky. "The strength of our forgotten race—the mightiest race: the Saiyans! And with you as our leader, we will build an unstoppable empire!" he finished, throwing a fist up into the air.

There was a hearty chorus of '_Hail Vegeta!_' heard throughout the soldiers, but the newly kindled spirits did not reach their destination as well as Paragus had hoped—_assumed _they had.

For a moment, Vegeta contemplated the fresh smell of cherry blossoms playing with his senses (all the while with his usual frown) until he realized that they were awaiting his approval. Were they not able to read body language? It wasn't as if he were jumping up and down like an idiot, proclaiming _YES, YES! _So to answer their proposal, Vegeta scoffed and turned his back to them, returning to the gang. He had no time for that kind of foolishness…

A casual voice caught Vegeta as he walked away. "Of course...we will have to stop The _Legendary _Super Saiyan...My lord." Paragus continued on darkly, smirking at Vegeta's back. "Only you can do this." he purposely stroked the prince's ago, chuckling under his breath.

Vegeta halted in his tracks. He simply stood there, silent as his brain digested what he'd just heard. "You found _The_ Legendary Super Saiyan…?" his tone was low, with a hint of doubt.

"Yes—he's wreaking havoc all over the South galaxy with his awesome power. At his current pace, even our new Planet Vegeta, that we've strived so hard to rebuild for you, will be destroyed!" he exclaimed dramatically.

Trunks, Gohan and Krillin were watching from the sidelines in astonishment. Legendary super Saiyan? Sounded like something they would have rather lived on without knowing…

Vegeta's narrowed eyes fell to the grass, as if he were really considering what Paragus had just told him. His son from the future saw this and knew something had to be said.

"Father!" Trunks jumped in, running around Vegeta to blocking his path. "You're not going to fall for such a story, are you?"

But, as Vegeta's mind was already made up, it didn't take much for the prince to turn his back on Trunks as well. "Paragus, lead the way." He continued on as if nothing had happened.

Trunks couldn't believe his eyes. No, he couldn't get over how _hardheaded_ he was. "_Father!_" he called out, running after him. "Listen to me!" But his pleas fell upon deaf ears.

Before the teen could get any father, Paragus intercepted him. "Of course, you're welcome too, Prince Trunks. After all, you _are _of our blood..." he informed him, smirking inwardly at the teen's blatant untrusting expression.

As the ship's engine roared to life, nobody really noticed Master Roshi darting up the access ramp, still quite drunk. "Wait—Vegeta! What are you thinking?" His slurred yells were almost drowned out by the shuttle as Gohan, Krillin and Oolong tried to hold him back.

Bulma watched from a distance with a light frown. "The king of his own planet?" She thought out loud. "_Yeah_, that just what he needs," she muttered sarcastically.

The Capsule Corp. heiress could only watch as her son soared past. "Mom, I'm going! I'll bring dad home with me!" Trunks called, flying up to the ramp and landing smoothly inside just before the door closed.

Gohan, Roshi, Krillin and Oolong ultimately ended up inside, too.

"Good luck, son." she whispered helplessly, holding baby Trunks close to her chest as the ship finally took off.

* * *

There was an abundance of meaty, steamy, teasingly aromatic platters—all of which were requested by Goku—sitting on the table in front of King Kai. The God watched with both brows raised as the food mountain disappeared by the seconds.

His Saiyan pupil sat on the other side of the table, stuffing his mouth with the delectable cooking that King Kai had set out for him.

Bubbles would run back and forth between the house and the table, bringing in dishes. Poor thing.

Goku bit into a large drumstick-like piece of meat, ready to tear it apart in the name of his unfulfilled stomach, but let go of the rubbery flesh to no avail. "So, there's a super Saiyan in the South galaxy, is that right?" he inquired, still eyeing the piece of meat.

"Actually, he's already torn up most of the South galaxy and it appears he's on course to hit the North next. That's _our_ galaxy, you know..."

A simple 'Oh...' was heard from Goku as King Kai continued, "And what I'm really afraid of, Goku, is that he might be stronger than you—"

"_REALLY?_" Goku was now leaned over the table, eyes wildly happy, his food long forgotten. "That's _so_ amazing!"

"This is not the time to be excited. This is in a '_bad _thing' category, Goku," scolded King Kai. Sometimes the Saiyan's enthusiasm could be trying on the old king's nerves.

"Oh! Right." Goku dropped his lunch and rose from his seat for a brief leg stretch. "Where do I go to find him, King Kai?" he asked, genuinely excited to have found a strong or_stronger_ opponent.

King Kai sighed, replying grimly, "I'm not sure."

"Hey, I thought you Kais were supposed to know everything!"

"It depends on my mood!" King Kai snapped. "All I know is that he's somewhere in the South galaxy. Just use your instant transmission!" he exclaimed to Goku. Really, how he put up with that man sometimes…

"Yeah—then I can just search for his energy…" he agreed, placing two fingers on his forehead and concentrating.

As the seconds ticked by, both men stood in silence before Goku finally looked back up at his former teacher with an embarrassed expression. "Uh, King Kai, could you tell me which way is South again?"

Bubbles, who was walking back to the little house tripped and fell over, causing the dishes in his hands to fall and break with a loud clatter.

King Kai furrowed his thinly shaped brows and pointed to his left.

"Okay, I'll search that way then," Goku said, putting his fingers back on his forehead and closing his eyes. "Got it. It's weak, but that's definitely Saiyan energy all right. See you soon—take care!" he smiled before vanishing.

King Kai sighed again as he stood and looked up at the clouds. "Oh well. Let's hope he's right..."

…

Goku whizzed by at the speed of light, watching the colorful blur of planets, stars, and other celestial bodies pass him until he stopped at his destination. 'I just missed him,' he thought, looking around the desolate wasteland that was once a world of its own. The black night sky, with no moon or stars gave the harsh environment a horror-film affect.

Craters and ruins were what populated the current area. 'But for him to leave such a trail of energy behind...That's unheard of!'

Goku walked through a city, examining the damage dealt. The Saiyan shivered at the thought of his home planet looking _anything_ like that. 'Whoa...This is unreal! Maybe King Kai really _was _right! This guy just might be stronger than any of us!'

* * *

**The Next Morning-**

I was poised anxiously at the main entrance of the palace with a small army (and Broly) by my side. He was ever the more silent as usual.

'Ah...' Paragus' ship could finally be seen coming down through the atmosphere. 'I can feel a couple of extra energy signals as well. He must have convinced Vegeta to come along one way or another,' I concluded with a faint smirk.

After another period of waiting, Paragus drove up to the palace with Vegeta seated next to him, followed by another car with guests. But, the strange thing was: one of the energies coming from the second car was much like Vegeta's and my own.

Another blood relative... Another sibling? ...Vegeta's own kin?

"Hmm…" I let my mind wander as my eyes followed the cars up to the palace. Why they didn't fly was beyond me…

There was a chorused greeting of "HAIL VEGETA!" as the Saiyan-in-mention finally came into view; I cringed slightly, almost moving to cover my sensitive ears.

Paragus, whilst leading him our way, explained: "These men have gathered here from the far regions of the universe. They are here to serve you, King Vegeta." Both of them stopped just before Broly and I. "My only son, and his mate. They are at your service, my lord." The older Saiyan gestured towards the two of us.

"I am Broly." He may as well have been whispering.

"And I am Midori," I added, bowing my head slightly.

Vegeta narrowed his eyes at us. "So I guess both of you are Saiyans as well," he stated in a matter-of-factly- tone, locking his eyes with mine as he said this.

Was something on King brother's mind?

"Yes... sir." Broly answered with a tiny smile, quickly returning to his normal dull state. I could tell he wasn't too fond of the formalities.

"Yes, you are correct." It was hard trying to hide the smirk that was forming on my lips.

"But _your _name is not Saiyan." Vegeta eyed me with such a bone chilling stare that the smirk on my face vanished.

"You are correct again, sir… I was born and raised on a foreign planet." This seemed to satisfy him. It was the truth after all.

I noticed a small boy and others standing behind some guards, watching on with an almost unbound curiosity about them. I had to strain to hear them over the dull roar of the crowd.

"It's amazing," murmured the child, while a short, bald man in an orange jacket and some kind of clothed animal made questioning noises. Alongside them were an elderly man and... a _tall_, strapping, young man with long, lavender hair and eyes like _sapphires_. He smiled at his friends before a shout caught his attention, as well as mine.

"Your majesty!" a soldier yelled, running past me to Vegeta.

The prince (erm... KING) stopped walking to turn around slightly.

"Your majesty: the Legendary Super Saiyan has appeared on planet Totokama," he informed him, kneeling down.

"What?" he was fully facing him then.

"Kais..." I mumbled to myself. 'So they _are_ going through with that plan. He must have refused at first…' I thought, sighing.

The mysterious young man with long hair narrowed his eyes in heavy suspicion.

'Hey, that boy catches on mighty fast.'

Vegeta turned again to look over the rest of the soldiers. "Alright, I'm going to take care of this super Saiyan freak right now! Broly—come with me!"

I waved a goodbye to Broly (To make things seem natural) and he smiled back at me, eerily.

'Well… Vegeta was right about The Legendary Super Saiyan being a freak.' When Broly wasn't facing me anymore, I frowned. 'Let the wild goose chase begin...'

Just then, "blue-eyes" dashed up to Broly and Vegeta. "Father!"

Father?

"We have to collect more intelligence before we act! It's too dangerous!" he exclaimed.

Vegeta swiveled sharply on his heel with a scowl and barked, "The only _danger _lies in standing against me!" The prince glanced behind him. "Broly, hurry up!" he called roughly, practically storming off.

So my brother was arrogant… and he didn't like taking orders from 'subordinates'.

Broly smiled one last time before following Vegeta out.

The teenager was left standing alone, his shoulders drooped in dismay. "No... Father..." he whispered in total defeat.

… _Father?_ I grinned, despite the not-so-funny situation.

"Poor boy..." I whispered as I shook my head, my smile easing up a little. 'I'm grateful that I didn't turn out like Vegeta,' I thought, laughing quietly. 'But who knows, we might have _something_ in common...' I stopped abruptly when something bumped my backside.

"Oh, sorry about that!" a rather childish voice came from behind me.

"It's fine," I assured, smiling down at the black haired boy. Upon further notice, my smile widened a bit. "Child, are you a Saiyan?" I didn't notice at first because of his lack of a tail, but there were certain features… and his energy.

He blinked a couple of times before answering.

"Yes ma'am, and my name's Gohan," he introduced himself, holding out his hand for me to shake and grinning cutely up at me. Even the Grinch (a fictional character from Earth stories) wouldn't have stood a chance against the kid. But Gohan probably knew that already.

I shook his hand, figuring the boy was about ten or so. He was strong too… 'Nice firm grip.' I flashed him a toothy grin of my own.

"And you're a Saiyan, too?" he asked, eyeing the brown tail that swayed in the soft breeze behind me.

"Why yes, I am. My name is Midori," I replied, nodding my head. 'I'm also figuring that he's half human. I can smell it.' I released Gohan's hand.

"Oh―er, my friend Trunks is looking for me, Miss..." Gohan said, turning slightly. "It was nice meeting you," he added, bowing formally.

"Likewise, Gohan." I nodded, amused by the boys politeness as he ran off to his group. "Trunks, eh…?" I whispered as I laid my eyes on the other demi-Saiyan that Gohan had referred to.

When he had called Vegeta "_Father!_", it had only confirmed my suspicions.

"Wow, Vegeta... You've made me an aunt," I whispered to myself, not able to stop a grin from taking hold of my lips again. "Well, he must favor his mother, that's for sure." I shook my head once more, not believing what I had just found out.

…

We all watched as Paragus' ship launched for the so-called Totokama.

My curiosity got the better of me as I turned to face Trunks. He was staring at the ground in frustration; some of the soldiers were laughing in the background.

I rolled my eyes.

The adorable Gohan was there, trying his best to cheer up his older comrade . They talked rather loudly though, as if they assumed nobody was listening to their conversation.

"Hey Trunks, that lady over there—she's a Saiyan too! Her name's Midori; she's pretty nice." Gohan nudged his friend in the arm and thumbed over in my general direction.

'Half-Saiyans must not have as an acute sense of hearing as full bloods… I can hear them as if they're right next to me and they don't even know it.'

At this new information, Trunks' curious eyes scanned the area until they landed on me. And by the Kais, Trunks would have choked on the air itself if he were able to. Instead he let his mouth fall open and his eyes widen generously. Gohan looked a bit taken back by Trunks' reaction and nudged his arm again.

Of course I pretended not to notice any of it.

"Hey Trunks. What's up?" he asked inquisitively.

Trunks shook his head roughly once, causing the lavender strands of his hair to fly around his face. "Gohan, do you know who that is?" he smiled brightly.

"Er... No. Well, yes?" Gohan nodded his head slowly, lost at what else there was to know.

"That's my aunt! My aunt Midori!" he exclaimed, grabbing the young half-breed child by the shoulders. "I haven't seen her in so _long_." he finished in a mumble, his eyes holding a far off look.

"Then go say hi to her. I mean, you don't have to tell her who you are or that you're from the future," he replied, lowering his voice when he mentioned the future part.

I almost didn't catch it.

Trunks removed his hands from Gohan's shoulders and smiled awkwardly. "I don't know..." he sighed, scratching the back of his head, but Gohan insisted on him doing so. "Well... Okay, I guess." he finally gave in. Trunks turned around and blinked in surprise when he looked back to where I'd been standing.

The bald one, who was there the whole time and knew what was going on, cocked his head to the side in confusion. "What is it?" he asked, stuffing his hands into his pockets.

Trunks blinked his eyes a few more times to make sure he wasn't going blind, "She's gone. But I can still sense her nearby. Like she's right on top of us or something." then turned his attention back to his friends.

The whole time they had been talking, I was standing on top of a massive balcony that was placed strategically above them. 'What...? How has he even met me? _And _he's from the _future_? …_What?_' I was totally perplexed. 'Following them around for a while might answer some questions.'

A small breeze stirred my hair, prompting me to move some of it behind my ears.

...

"Hey Trunks, do you think this legendary super Saiyan really exists? I mean, it all seems kinda' farfetched to me." the bald Earthling asked as he, Gohan and Trunks flew through a dense forest just outside of the palace grounds.

"I agree with you Krillin, but my dad doesn't. That's the problem." he replied, expertly dodging trees, left and right, until the forest vegetation finally came to a halt and they were left free to fly off into the horizon.

"So hey, what's up with the story about your aunt? Care to explain?" asked Krillin.

Trunks smiled slightly and ran a hand through his hair so it wouldn't block his view in the harsh winds created by his ki.

Gohan looked over at Trunks inquiringly.

"Well," he began, "She showed up on Earth when I was still in diapers, a few months from _now_ actually. Midori—she came to find my father, claiming that she was his sister. You know, I shouldn't have been surprised when you pointed her out, Gohan. She told me that she'd lived most of her life with that Broly guy. I should have looked for her as soon as I noticed him. But anyway, by the time she'd arrived, everybody had been killed by the androids..." Trunks paused with a somewhat solemn expression.

"I guess throughout the time she was around, her and Gohan formed some kind of strong relationship," he murmured, then gave a short laugh as he noticed Gohan blushing. "Not like that!" he added quickly.

"Midori had this big thing for kids. It was more of a teacher-pupil kind of relationship. She trained my Gohan into the strong warrior he was, but when I was about nine, the androids... they got her." Trunks stopped and gave a deep sigh. "She was like a big sister to me, you know? It was like the fewer people I had in my life, the more they mattered," he finished quietly.

I never really appreciated the art of hiding my energy until I was in one of these situations… It had been well worth it, for all the information I'd overheard.

By now, the trio had stopped above an abandoned city that looked like it had been destroyed ages ago.

Krillin, now aware of the sudden anguish Trunks was feeling, changed the subject. "No matter how you slice it, this planet is pretty barren," he said as he looked down upon the wreck of a city.

The three of them began additively agreeing how much of a dump the planet actually was.

I sighed and scratched my head in utter befuddlement. 'I've never met this kid in my life, but he has some sort of life story on me.' Arms folded over my chest, I leaned against the wreckage of a building behind me. 'And androids? How can this be true? Maybe they're just saying these things because they know I'm here...'

My gaze shifted over to the right, where the looming sunset sat over the drop of some nearby cliffs, catching my attention. 'Those three are getting dangerously close to the slave site... But... This might work to my advantage.'

I closed my eyes and smirked the tiniest bit. "They're obviously all suspicious of this getup. And all of them seem to be exceptionally strong… Trunks, Gohan, Vegeta… I could tell them the truth, about Broly… They'd be all over him. Then I could leave with them… But…"

If Vegeta came all the way out here, was he willing to see eye-to-eye with Paragus? Or was he just here for The Legendary Super Saiyan? I hoped for the latter.

'It doesn't really seem like he wants to rebuild our race for some reason… Not here, at least.'

Krillin's voice echoed across the landscape, pulling my eyes back towards the group; he was pointing at something below the cliff. "What's that over there?"

I sighed, my demeanor turning slightly gloomy. 'Poor Paragus... he just wants there to be more of us. But, I can't stay here forever… It'd be the death of me, sooner or later.'

Trunks replied, "It looks like they're pumping some kind of energy from underground."

'That's where the answer lies… Will he return to Earth after he finds this Saiyan, or restore Saiyan dominance here?'

Gohan scanned the whole area in front of them. Thousands of tiny alien creatures came into view. They were the ones working about the area. "Why would they need to do that?"

A hard decision came to my mind at that moment. One way or another, Broly had to be out of the picture. 'As selfish as this sounds… my sanity—my _life _comes first. And they definitely don't, here with Broly.'

"Wait. I got it!" exclaimed Krillin. "They send it to the palace. It's the only place I saw that had plants growing!"

'Uh-oh, there they go.' I walked around the crumbling structure to get a better view of the threesome as they interacted with two small aliens; they seemed to be in distress.

Folding my arms, I frowned at what I saw. Apparently I was wasn't the only one spying, as one of the guards came out and began to beat the two slaves.

Gohan, being the good boy he seemed to be, intervened, knocking the guard off his feet without any effort. But, seeing the number of guards that began to surround him, I thought it'd be time for me break things up.

Those guards weren't powerful, but they had an assortment of electrically charged weapons… very nasty when hit by one.

Powering up, I took off towards the skirmish. Judging by their shocked expressions, they weren't expecting me to land directly in front of Gohan, forget even being there to begin with!

"Midori—" Trunks didn't get to finish his sentence before I interrupted him, frowning at them in disapproval.

"You shouldn't be here, it's unsafe. What are you all doing out here anyway?" I couldn't show my cards just yet…

Out of the corner of my eye, I could see Gohan fall into a fighting stance. He looked so… _mature._

The guards were forming a circle around us.

"I have this under control… Step down, men." I warned.

They moved closer; they never liked me.

Krillin swaggered up behind the guard who blew the whistle and _tsked_ at him. "Hey, if I were one of you guys, I wouldn't even think about messing with us." The human threatened, taking a fighting stance and punching the air as if it were the guard.

Surprisingly… they began to turn tail.

Then it hit me.

'Hold on!' I gasped and took a step back. But not at Krillin, oh no. A tremendous energy was coming towards us, and fast. 'What in the world? It's…' I clenched my fists, unable to think of a word for it.

'_Damn-it_, why now?' That's all I needed!

Gohan regarded the slave guards with confusion as they all fled the scene.

Krillin laughed, his face then taking on a more serious exterior. He threw a few punches and kicked the air, as if boasting.

Meanwhile Gohan made his way over to Trunks, and I stood, trying to feel out the new energy signal. It was moving too damn fast!

'It's― _here!_' I snapped my head to the left, gritting my teeth.

Krillin then gave the air a good upper cut. Right then, everything stopped and seemed to play out in slow motion:

An orange blur appeared in front of Krillin as we all gasped, his fist connecting with its then visible jaw, knocking _him_ over.

What in the hell?

Krillin's eyes widened drastically. "Eh, sorry," He apologized with a sheepish smile.

Gohan blinked in surprise. "Uh, daddy?"

"Hey, Goku." Trunks greeted a little offhandedly, seeing as how he was still surprised as well.

The way he appeared like that… it reminded me of Yardrat's instant transmission. I stared at the one named 'Goku' that had gotten knocked over. That was the strong energy I had felt?

"Aye-aye-aye, that hurt!" he exclaimed, cradling the sore cheek in his hand.

I knew right away that this Goku person was a Saiyan. 'Strange...' I looked Goku over skeptically. "I pictured this new power to be a threat... not some weird Saiyan man in flamboyant clothing." I muttered under my breath, placing my hands on my hips.

But apparently he was a part of their group, so I had no reason to feel threatened… Not that he was in any way… _threatening_.

"Goku, what are you doing here?" exclaimed Krillin.

The one in mention rubbed his cheek gingerly, looking the whole group over with wide eyes, similar to the way his son did. "I'm not sure, really. I was just following a Saiyan's energy. What are you guys doing here?" Goku asked, looking up at the gang from his seated position.

'Who could he have been following..? Vegeta, maybe? They seem to all know each other…' I turned around slightly and began to edge away.

Krillin folded his arms and replied "Vegeta was asked to destroy this legendary super Saiyan and we had some extra flyer miles to spend."

"Really? I guess King Kai talked to him as well." said Goku.

My eye twitched slightly. 'He's after Broly too, eh? One more person to sway, I guess.'

Goku then laid his eyes on me for the first time; his reaction was a confused blink. I stopped, seeing as how I'd been spotted, and reflexively flashed him a sly smile, flicking my hand up in a sort of wave.

"Oh, Goku, that's Midori," Trunks said, finally helping him up. The teen then whispered something in Goku's ear, earning him a big, goofy grin in return as he smiled at the older man.

"NO WAY! She's your aunt? Vegeta's sister?" he exclaimed, looking back and forth between Trunks and me.

Trunks tried desperately to shush Goku but failed, finally glancing in my direction guiltily.

I sighed in frustration. 'I have to straighten some things out with this one later'.

Meanwhile, Goku had approached me with his hand held out. "Hi, I'm Goku! That there's my son Gohan and my best friend Krillin." he thumbed over to the two. "It's nice to meet you," he greeted sincerely.

I smiled politely and grasped his hand. "Yes, Goku. And I've already had the pleasure of meeting your son," I replied, then smirking as I looked into his eyes.

His _eyes_, though... they held the innocence of a child, and seemed to mirror his soul; an honest, sincere soul... his eyes... I liked them.

My smirk widened a bit as I gripped his hand. It was a sort of unspoken test. He returned the squeeze, his face serious. The two of us stood like that for what seemed like minutes. But in reality it may have only been a couple of seconds. I mentally sized him up.

Goku had probably noticed my scrutiny and finally released my hand.

I then broke the silence with a short laugh. "So, I'm assuming you're here to help Vegeta find The Legendary Super Saiyan?" Of course he was.

"Yes, I am. This Saiyan destroyed the whole South galaxy and I have to stop him before he gets the North galaxy—that's the one I live in, by the way." his tone went from serious to casual as he smiled at the end of his sentence.

I frowned, memories of that day resurfacing. I was about to question him again when another voice beat me to it.

"How good of you to come, Kakarot. Or as you are now called, _Goku_." called Paragus as he stood at the edge of one of the many surrounding cliffs.

'Kakarot? That name sounds too familiar,' I thought, pursing my lips.

…No. Not _That _Kakarot.

Broly… I had heard him scream that name _far_ too many times over the last nineteen years. In his sleep, as he was killing, or the night that he…

I felt my blood run cold.

Could this Goku have something to do with Broly's insanity?

I snapped out of my trance as Goku responded, rather loudly since he was right next to me: "Hey! How do you know that name?" he demanded, and then blinked in surprise. "You must be a Saiyan, too!" he exclaimed, pointing at Paragus.

… Very observant, I see.

"Yes, and you must be Bardock's son. I see you have also met Midori," he said, gesturing towards me.

I nodded in acknowledgement.

Goku only stared at him coldly without speaking.

"Now, would our guests care to have some dinner?"

Goku narrowed his eyes but quickly brightened up at the mention of dinner. "Are you kidding? That sounds fantastic!" he exclaimed, overjoyed.

And that was where I would take my leave… I had to get a few questions answered…

…

Trunks' voice drifted through the wooden door that I was leaning against. "So then, it was Paragus who tore up your planet."

"No, it was not Paragus!" said one of the little aliens as what sounded like dishes clinked together. "Stronger, bigger!" another one exclaimed.

Gohan spoke up: "Hey, slow down you guys, you're gonna' pop."

"No we won't!"

'Come on… get to the good stuff…'

"I _know _it can't be Midori. Besides, she told me that female Saiyans can't even transform up to super levels. And it couldn't be Broly, that guy's a toothpick." Trunks paused for a moment, sighing wearily. "…Maybe Paragus is telling the truth. If The Legendary Super Saiyan really exists, we might have a lot of trouble on our hands..."

Just outside of the door I stood with my arms folded, waiting for the ideal moment to come in. 'This is interesting...' In my mind I went over a couple of scenarios again.

One: They don't find The Legendary Super Saiyan. Vegeta either stays here (and the Saiyans repopulate, while I suffer with the ever insane Broly) or he leaves. If he leaves (there's one sad Paragus), I follow along. I'll be rid of Broly… then… Broly follows… fighting ensues... Huh.

Two: They find the Saiyan (AKA Broly) and they fight. With _five _Saiyans against one, there's a good chance of victory, then they go back to Earth? And… I follow? Or Vegeta stays on this planet. Hmm…

I placed my hand on the doorknob and twisted.

I suppose they must have sensed my energy there the whole time, seeing as how they were all dead silent, staring at the door when I entered.

I wasn't about to waste time. I had an objective, and they were part of it. I walked straight up to Trunks, the teen turning to face me fully. Now I was only standing a short distance from him, and he stood eye-to-eye with me, sapphire to onyx.

"I have some business to settle with you, boy." I stated bluntly.

"Safe to say it was you following us earlier, right?" Trunks questioned back, smirking.

A simple "Hn" sufficed for a reply.

Everyone in the premises was quiet; Gohan and Krillin exchanged confused glances.

"I'm going to make this quick and easy for the both of us..." he stated. "My name is Trunks Brief, I'm your half human, half Saiyan nephew."

Not quite what I was looking for. Most alien species could have detected the blood relation if they tried, _and _the fact that he had human blood in him. Then there was the small detail that involved him calling Vegeta 'father' for _everyone_ to hear.

I narrowed my eyes. "You think I didn't know that already?" I asked, growing a bit irritated. 'Settle down, it's just been a long day… _sigh_.'

Trunks furrowed his brows. "I _am _actually from the future, though. And in my time, which would be in about a year, you come to Earth in search of your brother, Vegeta, but he's already been killed by androids. You train Gohan," he paused and gestured to the other half breed, "and you fight the androids. You also befriend my mother, and from what she's told me about you, there was more than one occasion where you had almost beaten the androids. But they finally got you. It was a sneak attack—when you had sustained some major injuries."

… That was some story.

I gazed into Trunks' eyes, trying to find any signs of a lie.

He stood there expectantly.

"Well… That's quite a far-fetched story you laid out there. But—sadly, I do believe you more than I doubt you. I mean, who would go that far as to lie?" I asked him (and partly myself) with a chuckle. "Just answer me two simple questions."

"He's telling the truth, though!" argued Gohan, taking a step forward.

I turned to him slowly, smirking. "Son, I already know of his blood relation; it is his background and knowledge of me that is questionable."

"Name your questions." Trunks urged.

I turned back to him, still smirking. "If you know so much about me, then you know of my troubles with Broly. How did I manage to get to Earth without any notice of him?"

"Um, well, I don't really know that much about the guy..." he said slowly. "But I do know that you loathed Broly, so you poisoned his food. You had told me about him being 'sick in the mind'." he added the last part quickly.

This kind of surprised me, but not enough to falter my appearance. 'Food poison, eh?' And _Sick in the mind?_ That's exactly what I'd told people in the past… "Okay... How old am I?" I asked, narrowing my eyes in a casual manner.

Trunks brightened up at the question "You're twenty-nine years old, turning thirty on October 17th!" he exclaimed, making a triumphant fist with his hand.

I gaped at the boy. "How could you have known that? NO ONE knows my birth day." I stated, shaking my head in disbelief. Not a soul besides Broly and Paragus…

Krillin chuckled and rubbed the tip of his nose with his index finger. "It's like the man said: He's your nephew from the _future_."

Gohan nodded in agreement and let out a short laugh.

The look of amazement on my face slowly faded away and was replaced an apologetic smile.

There was an awkward silence after that. 'Well… It was no mystery that he was Vegeta's son, which also made him my family, but this whole future business threw me for a loop.' I sighed.

After pursing my lips for a few seconds, I finally took a small step forward, lifting my hand up and extending it as a sign to shake his hand. I should get to know my own flesh and blood, right?

Hesitant at first, Trunks reached out slowly and feebly grabbed my hand, still unsure.

I took another step forward and laughed, shaking his hand.

He suddenly yanked my arm forward, the space between the two of us then vanishing in a split second as Trunks enveloped me in his arms, giving one the tightest embraces I'd ever known.

This caught me quite off guard, making me give an awkward laugh. I was thinking something along the lines of a short friendly embrace… not a… "Bear hug".

Realizing that I still didn't know him all that well, Trunks finally let go and gave an embarrassed cough.

A sudden clapping and cheering in the room made me raise an eyebrow.

"Now that's what I call a Kodak moment!" exclaimed Krillin, making hand gestures as if he had a camera with him.

I stepped away from Trunks, feeling slightly more natural enough to joke. Keeping him at an arm's length distance, I placed my hands on his shoulders. "Well, I'd have to say that _you_ are just the most handsome thing to walk on two legs. But, then again, he gets it from his father's side." I couldn't help smirking again as I watched him blush a deep shade of red. So the boy was modest? Cute…

"Aw, look Krillin, he's blushing!" exclaimed Gohan, clasping his hands together.

We all laughed and talked the remainder of my time there, and Trunks told me stories of his time with a younger version of himself, the adult Gohan, his mother (the genius) and me.

Soon I felt that it was time I went on my way. It was late after all.

By now the tiny aliens had all drifted off to sleep on the other side of the room as the four of us sat in a circle away from them.

I cleared my throat, gaining three pairs of eyes in the process. "Trunks, Gohan, Krillin. You're all here in search of The Legendary Super Saiyan, am I correct?"

All three of them nodded.

"And I know you're all suspicious of this whole getup. Paragus… his intentions are good, but yes, he set this all up. He just wants to Re-establish the Saiyan race with Vegeta as king, but he's playing with fire, using The Legendary Super Saiyan as bait."

"If you don't mind me asking, what's that supposed to mean?" asked Gohan.

I ran my tongue over my bottom lip once and sighed. "What I'm trying to say is… Well, in the simplest terms, Broly is the one you're after."

"_Broly?_" All three of them exclaimed in unison.

"Yes. And now that you know, you'll probably inform Vegeta… and he will go after Broly, right? Well, you can probably infer that I'd give anything to escape this place. And whether or not he finds out about Broly, I have a feeling there will be a large conflict," I answered slowly, carefully choosing my words.

Gohan propped his head up on his hands as he waited for me to elaborate.

"You father's name is Kakarot, is it not?" I asked the boy.

Gohan nodded in response. "Yeah, but what does that name have to do with anything?" he inquired shamelessly.

I gave him a small smile, knowing something like this was coming. "Broly has a sort of compulsive anger towards a Saiyan named Kakarot. I had no idea who that was until today, when I met your father." I continued to explain that the two of them being in such close proximity would cause problems sooner or later.

Gohan just stared back, with his mouth ever so slightly parted.

"I plan on going back to Earth with you all. So, if Vegeta were to return to Earth, Broly would follow me. That would end in conflict. Then there is Kakarot… Broly is most likely going to lose it when he meets him… that will end in conflict. But, I'm not afraid of Broly when I have you three, Vegeta and Kakarot here."

Trunks blinked slowly. "So let me get this straight: you think that no matter what happens, Broly is going to be found out, and you want us to defeat him, so that you can return to Earth with us?"

The next word came out whispery, as if I was hissing. "Precisely"

* * *

Paragus stared at a large computer-like screen as some kind of circular object appeared on it. It was a _planet_—or was at least planet sized. This turned out to be something else.

"Yes..._Yes! _You're right on target, comet Kamorai. Come and get us!" he cackled wickedly. "DESTROY US!"

"Lord, I'm _afraid_..." an assistant alien whimpered as Paragus made his way down a set of stairs.

"Come now, Moar, there's no reason to be afraid anymore..." he answered casually.

"But sir, the comet is getting closer by the day!" he tried to reason.

Paragus smirked down at him and chuckled. "Don't worry about that..." he replied darkly, holding out his hand as it started to glow a bright green.

Only the screams of the small creature could be heard afterwards.


	3. Kakarot

**Chapter 3: Broly reveals himself! Oh, and there's a word that I was having trouble with in Paragus' monologue... not sure what he's saying.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own it; you know what I mean.**

* * *

It was a few hours later that I found myself strolling absentmindedly down one of the many corridors. The sun had previously retired for the night, and the air was crisp.

I had just been out to greet Broly and Vegeta on their return from the "Saiyan hunt" and was walking alongside them and Paragus. But, as they had decided to move with the snails, I continued on without them.

'Hmm… I wonder what Trunks' mother must look like for him to have such peculiar hair and eyes... I still find it a bit ironic that Vegeta would choose a human to mate with,' I thought with a laugh.

From everything I'd heard of my brother over the years, he did not seem like the type to choose someone of such a physically inferior race. My thoughts on humans brought me over to Gohan, seeing as how he was also part human.

'I can see where that boy gets _his_ good looks from...' Images of Kakarot came to me. We had only just been introduced earlier, but… "He seems way too carefree for his own good..." I whispered to myself, cracking a small smile. _Surely_, someone like him couldn't have struck such a cord in Broly?

"Hey, Midori! How's it goin'?" a cheery voice called out, breaking me from my reverie.

It took me a second to realize I wasn't going crazy from lack of sleep _and_ food. There was definitely another person occupying the lengthy hall with me. Sitting there on a window ledge, merely feet away was Ka― …_Goku_ and that all-happy smile of his.

"Oh, well, I'm fine... and you?" I took a few steps closer, still slightly dazed by the fact that I had not sensed him there.

Goku patted a spot next to him on the ledge, motioning me to come over. I moved closer to the orange-clad male, offering a questioning look.

He shrugged in a nonchalant way. "Everyone's off doing their own thing, and I've never met a female of our kind… I'm curious!" he confessed with a laugh, kicking his feet as if he were dangling them over the side of a pool.

"Uhh..." I didn't quite know how to react to the invitation. Despite his lighthearted demeanor, I still felt odd around him. It was like I'd known him for most of my life, but never _really_ knew him until now. But as he flashed that winning smile up at me, I found myself smiling awkwardly back, complying with his wish.

Was it how different his nature seemed compared to every other Saiyan I knew? Well, I'd only known two, but… 'What is Broly's deal with this man? I should be wary of this Kakarot, but…' I let out a huff of breath.

"Hey... Dori? You still with me here?" Goku was waving a hand in front of my face.

I chose to ignore the casual abbreviation of my name and grinned back at him in a lazy manner. "So… what do you like being called more― Kakarot, or Goku?" I questioned, silently wondering how he got the latter name.

Goku laughed lightly and scratched the back of his head, as if it helped him think well. "Hehe, ya see, I was called Goku my whole life until Vegeta and his buddies came along, so yeah, Goku's fine."

"That's so good to know…" I trailed off, lips falling shut, teeth clenching. I was _very_ glad that I didn't have to call him by the name that brought up so many bad memories. But I tilted my head to the side and sighed contently, despite the brief flashbacks that his birth name had triggered. He was getting me to loosen up easier than most people I had known in the past decade. 'Scary... but kudos to him.'

So… I chatted with Goku; He did most of the talking. The planet he lived on was beautiful, and it seemed that life could either be complicated or wonderful, depending on how you led it.

My tail began swaying back and forth, something it did when I was... feeling good, I guess... and every now and then it brushed against Goku's side (I didn't notice until he went to flick it, stopping halfway).

But alas, our lovely conversation of Earth ended when we heard footsteps and Vegeta's _very_ much agitated voice echoing towards us.

My lips puckered a bit as I blinked my lowered eyelids slowly. "It took them long enough to catch up. What were they doing―crawling up the stairs?" My pout turned into a smirk as I waited for their approach while Goku snickered at my joke.

My aforementioned livid brother made his grand entrance with Paragus and Broly trailing. "Damn it, how am I supposed to destroy this thing if you can't even tell me where it is?" he demanded, practically stomping with peevishness.

Paragus' voice was strained as he attempted to explain what I knew was a lie: "We're working as hard as we can, around the clock! Just give us a little more time, sir!"

Vegeta only growled in annoyance.

'My, my, Vegeta… such impatience you have. I guess I should be glad for it, to some degree.'

The prince didn't even bother with pleasantries as he passed by the two of us, until Goku spoke up; his greeting was light and simple, and he wore a soft smile. "Hey Vegeta."

I stood up, dusting off my sleeveless tunic.

Vegeta paused, meeting my gaze out of the corner of his eye, and smirked. "Midori," he acknowledged first, and then turned to Goku. "I don't remember seeing _you_ on the guest list," he commented coolly.

Another person who wasn't fond of Kak― uh, Goku.

"Oh, come on Vegeta, it's not like you're having any better luck finding the super Saiyan." Goku still smiled as he said this.

I arched an eyebrow at the ground, the tile having become _very_ intriguing. 'No he just didn't...'

Vegeta's smirk immediately dropped to a frown. "It _won't_ be long before we catch him and when we do, he's mine and he's dead. Stay out of my way, clown." he spun around on his heel, his words stinging cold, but stopped again, locking eyes with me. "You should stay away from that fool, Kakarot. He's nothing but a bad influence," he spat bitterly, finally going on his way.

Goku pouted, and I snorted quietly at his comment. "Yes, of course, sir…" What were brothers for, eh?

Paragus offered an acknowledging nod, loyally following Vegeta.

My Earthling companion sat and blinked. "Well, bye then. I guess I'll uh, see you around or something." Goku called out after the disgruntled prince.

For a few seconds, an awkward silence enveloped the area, craving for disruption.

"Goku, tell me more about Earth―" No sooner had I twirled around to face him did I spot Broly standing there with a scowl on his face, fists clenched tensely at his sides.

I blanched. Just _seeing_ the look of pure hatred on his face sent chills from the tip of my tail up my spine. I felt that if I turned around, I might encounter a personified feeling of dread, having just lifted a finger from tapping my shoulder in an ominous manner.

Goku must have noticed me staring nervously behind him; demeanor suddenly serious, he leaped out of his seat to confront the problem.

Broly's fists curled even tighter as he growled at Goku, reminiscent of a territorial animal. Was he jealous? Or did he really hate the man he had never met in his entire lifetime _that_ much?

'What is he… going to _do?_' My body went rigid when the stone on his headpiece began glowing a pale green. Dread reared its ugly head with a leer.

I could feel Broly's power level creeping up with each passing second― _not_ a good sign.

'Shit! No—this can't happen yet!' I thought frantically, my breath hitched as I shuffled back a few feet. Every time he had lost his temper in the past, I had sworn afterwards that I'd become used to it. But now, just as every previous time, I could feel my tail shivering between my legs.

Goku and Broly were staring each other down, their florescent auras visible to the eye. I didn't dare interfere for my own apprehension of something horrible happening. The worst thing to do was to jump in front of an enraged Broly… Not that I could have budged even if I wanted to.

Luckily, Paragus hadn't strayed too far and sensed the change in his son. "Behave, Broly…" came Paragus' warning voice as he held out his hand. Clasped around it was a golden bracelet with the same green light that shone off of Broly's headpiece. It had the power to control Broly's anger if he were to lose control at any time...

But, as if _trying_ to make the situation worse, Master Roshi (the elderly man from before) came running down the hall, holding Oolong (the talking pig) by the ears.

I caught something along the lines of "Not gonna let ya". I had other, more pressing matters to deal with than listening to them. In my mind the world was absent. There was only Broly and Goku, glowing in a dark, menacing abyss, battling silently with their eyes.

The old man's voice cut the abyss, "Are you even listening to me?" momentarily dulling my anxiety.

Goku turned his head slightly and grinned, "That's Roshi for ya'!" then quickly turned back to Broly.

As hastily as Goku had performed the short action, the anger dissipated from Broly's face with a sigh, his aura dwindling with the lengthy exhale.

I couldn't help but sigh in relief as well. 'I have to get him out of here though...' Walking cautiously up to Broly and placing a hand on his arm, I did the only thing I could think of. "Broly... let's go," I whispered softly.

Without even looking down at me, he started walking. I linked my arm around his as I fell into step with his long stride, as if I'd just be able to tug at his arm if he got angry again… Wishful thinking.

In our leave, I looked back at Goku and mouthed a good night to him. He smiled hesitantly and waved as Broly and I made our exit.

* * *

Paragus sat quietly in a chair, in what seemed to be a dungeon-like laboratory. The place was pitch-black, with the exception of the minimal light that random machines gave off.

On his hand, where the ki-controlling device usually was, sat an attachment with numerous wires cascading from it. Paragus had been sitting for almost an hour. He was becoming fed up…

An indigo, octopus-resembling creature slugged into the room with papers in his tentacles. "That's it, my tests are complete. Now, if you would slowly remove the apparatus from your wrist," he instructed.

Paragus did the exact opposite of what the creature requested, and all but gently tore it off of him, chucking the attachment at the ground. "_Well?_" his voice was gruff with impatience.

The octopus produced the older Saiyan's ki-controlling device when the object suddenly sparked, causing him to drop it and yelp in surprise. The gadget then experienced a short-lived purple glow, an eerie sight in the dark room.

"I'm telling you, the results are the same as last time. According to the computer data," he informed the disgruntled Saiyan, picking up some of the papers he had dropped, "The remote is still functioning properly. The reports are consistent. It's probably that Broly may be acting out on his own. You're his father, Paragus. I'm afraid it is now up to you to control the power of your son," he stated as Paragus picked up his ki controlling bracelet.

"No… Fix it." At that, the Saiyan swiftly left the room, his cape fluttering behind him as he moved.

"How can I fix what _just_ isn't broken?" the creature exclaimed to Paragus' retreating form.

Once outside, Paragus sighed despairingly to himself. 'Broly...' he thought. "What's wrong with you, my son?" he whispered to himself.

'There must be an answer!' he thought fiercely. 'Something must be disturbing him―interrupting my control... His Saiyan rage just _flared_ the minute he saw Kakarot.' Paragus turned slowly from the door and walked away.

'These outbursts have to stop, especially in front of our visitors. If not, all our efforts will be in vain...' Memories of the past came back to him, all of them nothing pleasant.

…

_A glowing, green orb spiraled down to a city below. When it made contact everything disintegrated in one massive explosion. _

_A younger version of Broly hovered close to the flames and ash, laughing like a maniac. He flicked his wrists repeatedly, handfuls of green energy firing at anything and anyone that bore a resemblance to the living._

_Paragus flew up behind him as a younger Midori appeared in front of him, blocking his way. Her hands glowed dully; two attacks ready if needed. _

"_Broly!" Paragus shot a hand out for his son's right arm. _

_Midori released the energy from her hands and grabbed his other arm as Broly thrashed, trying to shake them off, his maniacal laughter still present._

…

_There, floating in mid air was The Legendary Super Saiyan. Broly had earned that name for himself about midway into his teenage years._

_In both hands were highly concentrated amounts of energy. _

_Midori hovered cautiously to the side as she contemplated whether she should've gone to Broly and stopped him or stayed as she was. _

_She grimaced as she clutched her left arm; warm blood seeped freely through the creases of her fingers, seeking to stain other things. Midori had received the wound from attempting to stop him prior to the current situation. _

_Paragus rushed his son from behind. "Stop it now, Broly!" he yelled, extending his hand to grab him. At the last moment Broly lifted his arm up and slammed his elbow into his father's face with an unforgiving force. _

_As he was being knocked back, blood spurted out of one eye, tainting the air with the red liquid. _

_Broly threw his head back and laughed joyously. He was the dream that all Saiyans wished to be part of, turned horrifyingly real. _

_All Midori could do was watch in fear as this happened, too scared and in pain to move, losing blood herself. _

_Paragus held his assaulted eye as the other narrowed murderously at Broly and his continuous cackling._

'He was a true warrior, born with a strength and clouse* that would make most Saiyan fathers proud. But there was something far darker about him. Even Midori had noticed this. It was violent, threatening, and in time, it began to scare me...'

_Midori stood at the doorway of Broly's and her room with her head down, eyes trained on her wriggling toes._

_Paragus was leaning over his son with what looked like a golden tiara, a blue gemstone molded in the center of it. It sparkled in the lightlessness of the room, as if defying the darkness itself._

'I had no choice but to have a scientist craft a device to control his power.'

_Paragus lowered the headpiece to Broly's face without trying to disturb him as he slept. _

_But his son began to stir, gradually opening his eyes. "Father..?" he gazed up at him with half lidded eyes. "…What are you doing?"_ _It was until he saw the headpiece, did his eyes widen. _

"_Broly!" Paragus jumped on the young man when he saw him tense up. _

_Midori gasped as the two struggled until Paragus managed to get the device onto him, only to have Broly shove him back, causing the older man to fly half way across the room, the bracelet used to control Broly sliding out of reach._

_Sensing the immediate danger, she ran up to Paragus' side to help him up. Broly slowly got out of the bed, already in his super Saiyan form, stomping up to them. _

_Paragus reached out to the bracelet just as Broly hoisted Midori into the air by her neck. _

_Again, he was laughing as she tried to fight back against him, the task getting harder as the lack of air started to take its effect. _

_Paragus put the bracelet on and held his hand out as it started to glow. The headpiece that Broly was wearing started to shine in reaction, and he released Midori. _

_She landed on the ground with a sickening thump, desperately gasping for air. Broly stood above her with his head thrown back as he continued to laugh and scream, despite the pain coursing through his temples. Paragus' device was now taking its effect on him._

'That day almost ended in death, but ultimately gave birth to a new idea: By controlling Broly's power, I could control the universe! No one could stand in our way!'

Paragus crept up to his children's room; he had always considered Midori to be a child oh his. He had prided himself in the fact that he'd―to some extent―stolen her from King Vegeta; or rather, his legacy. Paragus had been the one to raise her to become the powerful, agile Saiyan she was. In his mind, she had received a far better fate than what she would have been subjected to in her father's palace, sitting pretty, useless, vulnerable to enemies, behind Vegeta junior and senior all day.

The older Saiyan peered through their cracked door, his eyes falling on Midori, then Broly. She was sleeping with her back to the door, and he was sitting on the other side of the room, his head lowered so that his bangs covered most of his face.

But… something was wrong with him. Broly was clutching the arms of the chair, growling, and had broken out into a sweat.

'Something got to him...or _someone._ I could barely control him in front of Kakarot.' Paragus' eyes widened as realization snuck up on him. 'Wait a second...Could that really be it?' his mind raced as he gazed at his son. "They were born on the same day?" he thought aloud in amazement.

…

_The Saiyan nursery was quiet as usual. Well, as quiet as a nursery could be. _

_On a wall, there were several small pods aligned next to each other. _

_A certain newborn was kicking his legs and screaming, his tail wagging vigorously between his legs. The baby next to him was sniffling and whimpering from all the noise of the first one. _

"_Did you hear? Paragus' son was born with a power level of ten thousand! Ten _thousand_ and only an infant!" exclaimed the first doctor._

"_Makes Bardock's son look like a joke. What is he, a two?" said the second doctor as the other man laughed. _

"_Yeah, I think so. But he sure is a feisty one. Listen to him wail―that's the spirit!" he exclaimed. _

_The whimpering baby boy finally started to cry, as the screaming from the other child had intimidated him. _

"_Look, he's making Paragus' son cry," both doctors laughed at the sight._

"_You don't see that every day!"_

…

Paragus narrowed his eyes and grunted. 'Whatever it is, I don't like it'. He shut the door to their room silently.

'Fate may have brought them to this planet together, but it won't be for long,' he thought, walking away. 'Just a bit more time… If I can just keep him under control, then all of our troubles will be over.'

* * *

"Kakarot…"

It was Broly's hoarse grunt that caused my eyelids to flicker open, then sink back down. But a moment later, my heart _jumped_ into my throat as Broly's ki spark _tremendously, _scaring me out of my slumber.

I bolted upright just as the newly alive Broly crashed foot-first onto our bed―

"_GAH—BROLY!"_ I couldn't help but shriek as my body momentarily rose―at least three feet into the air― as he used the mattress' bouncy nature to hurdle clear across the room and out of the large window, into the black night.

A second later my back hit the mattress, and I rose again, only to land on the hard floor below.

"Shit," I breathed out, scrambling to stand, hands groping around for more proper attire. "This is bad..." Forsaking my pants, I found myself leaping out of the window in only my knee length tunic. I forced my tired body to fly at top speed, my senses leading me to where he might be. Not that I needed my senses; I knew exactly where he was going...

'Goku better be quick on his feet.' the thought of Broly assassinating him in his sleep made my blood run cold. But I wasn't about to use the Instantaneous Transmission; knowing my luck, I'd faze right in front of some death beam…

'There they are!'

I finally spotted the two in the far distance and increased my speed, wind practically burning my face as my bangs whipped me to the point of stinging. "Hold, on I'm coming..!"

I could just make out Broly seizing his target by the arm and slamming him through a wall, then another. He screamed with wild abandon, throwing a punch at Goku, narrowly missing; he continued swinging, as if it were what he was programmed to do.

The Saiyan on the defense performed a quick back flip, landing a successful blow to Broly's chin, immobilizing him for the moment. "What's this all about?" Goku demanded, and fell into a fighting stance once he was upright again.

I was _so_ close!

My mate stood straight and smirked; green energy began pooling in his large palm, forming a sphere. It didn't stay stationary for long, as he chucked it at Goku with his broad arm like a fastball. It zoomed through the air, leaving a fading green line behind it.

Just as the attack was about to hit him, I made my bold intervene, knocking it out of the way with my interlocked hands.

'_Damn_, that burned!' The small blast exploded above us, causing green glitter-like energy to rain down on us for a few seconds.

"Whoa― nice save, Dori!" Goku thanked, clearly surprised.

"It was nothing," I replied tensely, my eyes trained coldly on Broly as I flexed my stinging hands. '_Why_ does he hate Goku so much?' I pondered for the umpteenth time. 'I'll have to try stopping him before he really does some damage. Goku's _no_ match for him by himself.'

I barely had time to gasp as a flurry of blasts were suddenly hurled at us, both of us managing to (barely) doge them all without getting hurt.

"_BROLY_, DON'T DO THIS!" I shouted over the reverberation of the blasts exploding as they hit objects in the background. In that moment, I'd wished that Paragus had gotten his son to see a _mentalist_ instead of a scientist.

Goku deflected one of the last stray blasts, sending it straight back at Broly; the force of the blow sent him flying back. As we followed hot on his trail, the skirmish lead us through the surrounding forest and to the large lake just beyond it.

And there he was―levitating above the water with his teeth gritted. I'd _hoped_ being hit with his own attack would have knocked some sense into him! But no…

'I'm seeing a side of Broly's power that I haven't seen in a _long_ time… this isn't good… This isn't good! Why does his power keep increasing?' My face was a tight mask of alarm, and I found it slightly ironic that the world was not as panicked as I felt; it was calm, almost majestic under the night's stars. Meanwhile, there was a volcano in its midst, ready to explode.

Goku merely stared at Broly in wonder.

I felt what he was feeling, and was hoping that I might live to see another sunrise. 'Where is Paragus when you need him?' I thought, pursing my lips tight.

Water was forced up from the lake, dancing around Broly's ankles as his ki continued to push against it. "Die, Kakarot," He half whispered, half grunted. And like a bullet, the super Saiyan took off towards Goku, who, unfortunately for me, was standing behind me.

I gasped, having just managed to leap high enough into the air to get out of Broly's way as he sped past, water spraying me in the process. Goku, using the speed of the taller Saiyan's approach against him, kneed Broly hard in the side of his face, stopping his livid attacker for another moment so he could jump back a safe distance.

Broly wheeled around to face Goku, his expression totally unreadable as a small amount of blood trickled from his lower lip. Broly, being naturally freaky as he was (in _every_ implication of word…) licked it clean off his mouth.

This must have unnerved Goku, as I heard him exclaim, "EW, that was completely unnecessary―_disgusting!_" when Broly powered up another energy ball in his hand.

Uh-oh…

I hovered over the water next to Goku, ready to mediate again if I had to.

As Broly launched his attack, one ball turned into many as we both had to scatter (again) to avoid getting hit.

And wouldn't you know it, as the blasts punctured the water, giant splash waves formed, like large curtains rising from the depths to obstruct my view.

Becoming frustrated, I moved above the steamy mess, trying to locate where Broly was.

"Damn it, what's going on?" I exclaimed, trying to flatten my sleeping tunic as it flapped in the draft. I could hear the impact of someone being hit, but only when the thick mist of the raging waves thinned out, was I able to see clearly.

The infamous Saiyan began to drift upwards, ignoring the fist that was planted firmly in his face.

Sensing he was an open target, Goku flipped up and over his pursuer to put some space between them.

"Goku, watch out!" I called, having located him.

Broly spun around once more, growling angrily as he stared at Goku, and then me. For a moment he held my gaze, and I saw a number of things: hatred, annoyance, hurt, _rage_. When he threw his head back, it was as if all of those emotions spewed out in one prolonged blood-curdling scream, his ki releasing just as violently.

The wind picked up again, and I could only stare as my shaggy hair was pushed back from my face, my long shirt billowing shamelessly around my thighs.

Goku gasped, "That's the energy I was following!"

I glanced down at him, a small voice in the back of my head telling me that everything was falling into place. But would we make it?

My legs started to waver as Broly's energy radiated onto me; how could I stay in the air with such awful distractions? I was forced to lower my body to the ground where I fell into something feeble that couldn't be called a fighting stance.

'Kais…' I swallowed hard, trying to rid my throat of a sudden lump. 'It's like he's transforming!'

As if reacting late on a cue, Paragus appeared out of the blue to save the rest of us.

The lumpy blockade in my throat began melting as I watched on cautiously.

"Broly— cut this out! Stop it son, I command you!" his voice was surprisingly strong for someone in his sleeping attire as well; but, of course, he knew what would happen if he didn't work his bracelet's charm.

Broly screamed. Goku yelled in Vain. Paragus barked commands. I inhaled shakily.

I could see Broly clearly in front of me through all the mayhem. There stood a man who I had once loved, feared, and respected. Somewhere along the years my love and respect had been snatched away by a clinging, yet silent hatred. But, there would always be a part of me that pitied him—wished he could be normal.

By some divine intervention, or Paragus' bracelet, Broly's power level slowly died down. His hair returned to its normal midnight black, and his muscles gradually decreased in size.

In a moment of silence, my eyelids slid shut, and I found myself letting loose a deep breath that it seemed I'd been holding.

"What…?" I heard Goku asked himself.

I glanced sideways at Goku. "It's a device he uses to control Broly's anger," I murmured, filling him in.

As Broly was lead away by his father, his eyes rested on me under an emotionless glaze, until he wasn't facing us anymore, and they retreated back to the palace. I could tell just by his look that there were some _property_ issues going on in his head…

It was all I could do to keep my tail from coiling up in frustration after that. 'This is going to be harder than I first thought.'

It was becoming more apparent to me that I was just as crazy as Broly, thinking to take him on. _Would_ five to one actually work? Could I really put four Saiyan's lives on the line?

I wasn't scared for myself; I'd come accustomed to walking along death's ledge a long time ago... but the _others…_ Why did this have to be so hard?

'We kill the man and go. That's all there is to it, really…'

I gazed up at the inky sky, my eyes searching the twinkling stars for an answer to all of my problems. They remained silent to my thoughts.

"Midori, there are some things I need to know…" Goku started slowly. "I need to ask you a few questions about Broly and Paragus."

I turned to face him, staring into his grave eyes for a moment before replying, "I know what you're going to ask, so I may as well come clean." I cleared my throat.

"I've been with Broly and Paragus for nineteen years now, since I was ten." I stated, nodding my head a little. "Broly… he has a sort of mental problem that, when angered, he loses all control of well being. We believe it has to do with the enormous amount of energy overwhelming his mind, but," I lifted a finger and pointed lazily at him. "I think it also has to do with you―_Kakarot_." I concluded, nodding my head again as I used his birth name.

I added "And over the years Paragus finally found a way to control Broly's outbursts."

"Well... That isn't really what I was going to ask you," he replied, furrowing his brow. I guessed the new information was slightly disturbing.

I closed my eyes and couldn't help a small chuckle. "Oh, it gets much better." I crossed my arms. "As of lately, Paragus has been trying to pull off a plan to persuade Vegeta into renewing the Saiyan race, taking his rightful place as king. The bait is the so-called _Legendary Super Saiyan_."

"That's what I needed to know!" Goku took a step closer. I could see the desire clearly in eyes... momentarily distracting me.

I sighed softly. "Like I said: Paragus lured Vegeta in with tales of super Saiyans. And I know that you know―"

"That Broly is the one," Goku blurted out, completing my sentence. As we both came to a silent agreement, he then stared off into the distance with me.

"Now I have something to ask you, Goku." He aimed a questioning look at me.

"Sure, okay." he nodded.

"Where do you fit in all of this?" I asked, never taking my eyes off of the forest's dark edge. "Why are you here? And also, why does he hate you so much?"

Goku scratched the back of his head, seemingly deep in thought before answering, "I don't know why Broly hates me so much, and I've never met him before until earlier in that hallway. But… I can tell you why I'm here!"

I wrapped my limp tail around my waist. "Proceed…"

"Well...I was in this really important meeting with my wife Chichi, and then King Kai told me that something terrible had happened and the whole universe could be _destroyed!_" he told the story with such emotion that I felt as if he were retelling some kind of epic tale. "When I got there, he told me that a super-strong Saiyan had destroyed the South Galaxy―eh, what's up with you?" he stopped short when he noticed I seemed a bit discontented, sounding quite concerned.

'That day was all for nothing…' My gaze softened as I looked back to him. "Please continue," I urged.

"Okay, King Kai told me a Saiyan had destroyed the South Galaxy and that the North Galaxy would be next. So I decided to use my Instant Transmission to find him, and it lead me to a planet―"

'Now _that's_ interesting. Goku knows the Instant Transmission technique as well? I thought so... That was some _fast_ entrance he made today… Wait, did he say King _Kai?_ How in the cosmos―'

"I could tell he had just been there by the strong energy signal he had left behind. And just now, when Broly attacked me, I felt the same signal as the one from before," he explained with a serious air to him.

"Yes…" I whispered just loud enough for him to hear. "He destroyed the South Galaxy. I was… there. I couldn't do a thing to stop him," I confessed with a pained expression.

True, I may have been a cold-blooded Saiyan at times, who had _no_ problem killing, under circumstances, but… I wasn't raised from birth the way _he_ was… I didn't have _his_ problem… Broly, he took things too far sometimes.

"I have a feeling that this... will not end too well," I admitted for a lack of better words.

"Yeah, I know," replied Goku, sending a sad smile towards me. "But somehow, I don't think any of this has to do with making Vegeta king," he added, gaining that serious look again.

I turned around to face him, inhaling and then exhaling slowly. What did he know that I didn't? "So? What do _you_ plan on doing?" I asked softly.

"I plan on beating him. I can't let him destroy my home," he answered gravely; a sort of determination rang strong in his voice.

I smirked inwardly at his words, before my lips dropped to a frown. "For the last seven years, I have been trying to escape Broly." My jaws momentarily clenched when I thought back to some of the things he'd gotten away with. "I stopped, after a while, because I realized that I had nothing to go to. In all truth, I may be mated to Broly, but now I only wish that bastard the worse of hell."

Goku must have been slightly surprised at the toneless way I said this, because it showed in his taken aback features.

"But that's changed now. I have new-found family. Vegeta and Trunks..." I sighed, my hard tone melting into a more tender one. The thought of _my_ own family was just too good to be true. "Now that I know I have people as strong as them on my side, we might just beat Broly, and I can finally get to know them." I looked back up and gave him a mix between a smile and a smirk. My hope was coming back.

Goku smiled back sweetly, placing a hand on my shoulder as he laughed lightly. "That's the spirit!" His gaze lingered on my slightly dreamy face for a moment as he grinned from ear-to-ear.

I stood there, surprised at what I was feeling. It was as if Goku's gentle grip on my shoulder was empowering me. I could accomplish _anything _I put my mind to.

"…I'd gladly aid you on your quest, Goku."

…

It was nearly sunrise by the time I got back to the palace, and I was aching with sleep deprivation.

I paced laggardly around the spare room I was in and sighed. The plush furniture and linens offered no comfort.

Vegeta would be leaving again tomorrow with Broly. Another Saiyan hunt, no doubt.

I'd pretend like I was going along with them, when in reality I had three other Saiyans behind me, after his head.

'That's when I tell Vegeta everything, about me, and about Broly. This whole thing will be over... As will Broly...' I thought impassively, glancing at my surroundings. "Hopefully Vegeta will be as enthusiastic about me as his son was," I mumbled to the bedroom, smirking.

I knew my brother's reputation. He was tough, extremely powerful, arrogant, and _very_ proud. I hoped his ego wasn't too big for his own baby sister...

I sighed again as a sudden wave of sadness hit.

What if we didn't make it?

What if Broly massacred all of us?

I couldn't back down now. I knew that even if I hadn't told Trunks, Gohan, and Krillin about the situation, Goku would still have found out, and he'd tell the others anyway.

After the earlier display of power by Broly, the outcome I had drawn in my head wasn't pretty.

'But all I know is that by this time tomorrow, I'll be free…' Death would have a new hand to guide. I just hoped it wouldn't be mine.

I would miss Paragus quite dearly, but the idea of getting away overruled that notion. And I wouldn't feel one bit guilty for leaving him behind… alone… How was that for gratitude? The man practically raises me, and this was how I was to repay him… Oh well.

My eyes shifted over to the open window, and I was surprised to see that the sun was just peaking over the distant mountains.

At that moment I remembered that I hadn't eaten since, well, I didn't know—probably sometime earlier that day (yesterday). My stomach chose then to remember too, by giving a loud growl. It had sounded like there was an angry animal dwelling within my abdomen. Deciding not to disobey my stomach, I made my way to the door.

A Saiyan who didn't eat when famished was as useful as a sack of potatoes. 'But then again, I could use a sack of potatoes right now…' I smirked, rubbing my stomach gingerly. A ravenous monkey was about to hit the royal kitchen.

* * *

Out in the dead blackness of space, comet Kamorai was nearing New Vegeta. The comet was colossal in itself, a huge blue ball of force; silent death on its way.

* * *

**Author's Note: *I tell ya, I wish I had the English script to this movie xD Whatever it sounded like Paragus was saying supposedly doesn't exits with that spelling =/**


	4. The Legendary Super Saiyan

**Fourth Chapter: Finally, Broly is revealed!**

**The fight for the universe begins! Again...**

/-/

_Sigh..._ 'This waiting might just kill me before Broly does…'

I tried focusing on what little nature circulated around the palace's entrance as I awaited Vegeta and Broly's arrival, but it just wasn't doing the trick.

Before departing from Goku last night, I had gone back to his quarters where the two of us explained the whole situation to the others, and how the plan would unravel. As intended, I was going to escort Vegeta and Broly to the space ship; Trunks, Krillin and Gohan were bringing the slave aliens as witnesses against Broly, and…

I had no clue as to Goku's whereabouts.

'He's close by though, I can feel it… But he better be close enough. Everyone has to be here when it happens.'

The sound of footsteps clicked at my keen Saiyan ears.

Finally.

Approaching almost casually was Vegeta with Broly trailing behind. "Good morning, sir," I greeted my brother with a polite airiness.

Vegeta didn't bother restraining a critical sweep over my choice of outfit. I had swapped my palace garments for a more battle-ready suit, after all.

I was wearing short sleeved, green Saiyan under armor with the protocol combat gloves and boots, and a short tunic top over that; Paragus had always worn our only set of Saiyan body armor.

"Hn," He nodded, acknowledging me. If only I knew what was going through the prince's mind at that moment.

My lips twitched into the slightest smile as I fell in step with him.

Seconds later, I felt a stressed presence closing in on us. I paused to turn; it was…

"Sir, wait!" Paragus called, running frantically to catch up. "Wait— _wait_, King Vegeta! Please don't go! Hear me out!" the desperation was clear to anyone he passed by.

Vegeta finally stopped to spare Paragus a short glance, then continued on as if he had only paused at something he'd misunderstood.

Wait, was Vegeta _leaving_? I'd thought he and Broly were going to go searching again!

I frowned. 'It's now or never… But where is everyone? I can't just blurt out _Vegeta, I'm your sister and Broly is The Legendary Super Saiyan! Kill him!_ That wouldn't be the brightest idea…'

Paragus stood erect after having doubled over to catch his breath. "My lord, we've found him. We should be able to pinpoint his location by tomorrow at the latest," he offered, voice ragged, eyes holding a small note of pleading.

Wow, Paragus was _really_ desperate!

I could tell Vegeta had dealt with enough when he let out an aggravated, almost feral growl.

I just happened to glance up Broly: His eyes were slightly widened and he was breathing heavily.

'Why is he acting like that already?' I shifted my gaze quickly over the others; they had yet to notice what I had. 'Unless he knows Goku is in the vicinity…' I thought, edging slowly towards my preoccupied brother.

...Where exactly _was_ Goku?

"Come on then, what are you waiting for?" Vegeta glared up at Broly, ignorantly undaunted by the taller man's intense gaze.

What…? Was Vegeta leaving, or going out with Broly again? Or maybe he going to take Broly home like some stray he'd felt sympathy for... _Ha! _What an idea!

Detached onyx pupils dilated as they stared directly past us. "Ka— ... Kakarot..."

My eyes, focused on Broly's clenched fists, widened as well. "Vegeta… " I began hesitantly, turning slowly to him.

"Vegeta~!" the voice of a rather jovial sounding Goku reached us from the spaceship just a dozen meters away.

'Oh good; he is here,' I thought, slightly eased.

"Vegeta, you in here?" The ship's echo amplified his voice about five times, so that all of us could here him perfectly— _word for word_. "I'm getting tired of waiting for you... Plus I haven't eaten breakfast yet, I'm hungry!" he whined out loud.

The tense situation was momentarily put out of mind, Vegeta blinking in surprise as Goku continued to call out for him.

I then saw why my brother had so _affectionately_ called him a clown the previous evening…

"YOOHOO~ _HEY_~" He laughed without a care in the world. The echo seemingly entertained his child-like mentality. "There's pretty cool acoustics in here— Woohoo!" he clapped once, the intensified sound causing him to giggle more. His laughter came to an abrupt halt when an awkward, high pitched growl erupted from the vicinity.

I recognized said noise, and shook my head as I made out the sight of Goku clutching his stomach. 'Kais...' I thought, my eye giving a small twitch.

"Oh man, I guess my stomach likes the echo, too!" he exclaimed, laughing again. He officially sounded more immature than his son.

'This is supposed to be a serious life or death matter.' I mentally grumbled, crossing my arms over my chest.

The four of us neared the launch pad, each of us edgy for our own reasons.

That's when I felt Trunks and the others approaching. 'Here we go.'

I narrowed my eyes. "Paragus." My fatherly figure faced me, slightly surprised from the stiff tone I was using with him. "I know you wanted to rebuild the Saiyan race, but I don't think your plans will work. I'm leaving, with Vegeta— my _brother_, and neither of you can stop me." I glanced at Goku and nodded, Paragus looking aghast.

I think I even heard a sound akin to confusion coming from Vegeta.

Suddenly there was a hand on my forearm, spinning me around hastily. Vegeta's look was something between anger and disbelief as he spoke low. "You knew _all_ along-"

"Vegeta!"

Four pairs of eyes traveled to Goku as he stared solemnly at my brother.

"You don't have to go anywhere... the super Saiyan you're looking for is right here."

Paragus' face faltered, and I couldn't help but feel slightly guiltily.

Vegeta's eyebrows lowered dangerously. "Stay out of this, you have _no_ idea what you're talking about!" he snarled as Goku landed softly in front of him.

"Paragus, why don't you tell Vegeta here that Broly is The Legendary Super Saiyan?" he urged, sending Paragus a tiny smile. It was as if he didn't fault anyone in the situation, and merely wanted to be friends when the whole thing blew over… _Right_.

Paragus regarded me with an offended look before swiftly making his way to Vegeta in hopes of changing the prince's mind. "Vegeta, he must be confused; That's preposterous!" he exclaimed, moving in front of him.

I frowned at Paragus' back. 'The truth has been told. What is he trying to do?' I silently wondered.

"Not to mention completely impossible, my lord. Look at him. He has less power than I do. The boy is pitiful, can't you see that?" he questioned in a demeaning tone, turning to face Broly. "Let's drop this nonsense and return to your palace," Paragus insisted, gesturing behind him towards the looming building.

What the… Who was he trying to fool?

I glared at Paragus, my tail snapping irritably. "Paragus, you're not convincing anyone of _anything_." I wheeled around to Vegeta, pointing an accusing finger at Broly. "The truth is out! Goku isn't making this up, Broly _is_ the one!"

Paragus snarled, advancing towards me. "BE QUIET, YOU INSOLENT-",

I stood shocked, my stiff finger wilting under his outraged expression. He had _never_ used that tone with me before. But he didn't get to finish before another voice interrupted him.

"FATHER!"

We all looked up at the skies as Trunks flew straight for us. Good timing.

"Don't listen to him!" he exclaimed, landing by my side in front of Goku. "This so called 'Planet Vegeta' is nothing but a fake!" he announced, earning a harsh stare from the eldest Saiyan.

"-An illusion. Just look at that—Ruins!" he shouted, gesturing towards the cities in the distance. "He didn't build this for you... Paragus twisted everything you see here using these disadvantaged people. They'll tell you everything."

Gohan and Krillin arrived on the scene, armed with small groups of the alien slaves.

I smirked in triumph. 'Just what we needed.'

A certain alien boy from the previous day gasped as he took a step forward and raised a quivering finger at Broly. "That's him! That's the one that destroyed our home planet!" he exclaimed, confirming Vegeta's growing suspicion.

Vegeta turned a cold glare onto Paragus. "You tricked me." His voice shook with contained anger.

I joined in. "Paragus, your plan didn't work. I'm sorry, but I can't stay any longer…" I placed my hands on my hips. It would be so much easier if he just gave it up!

For the moment, my attention was drawn away from my mate.

Paragus raised his eyes from the floor and stared back at Vegeta in the same cold manner that was offered to him. "It's about time your spoiled, minuscule brain figured it all out. But that's more than I can say for _you_, Midori." he said, somewhat laughing.

I opened my mouth, but said nothing. Now I knew something else was going on. I remembered Goku saying something about him thinking there was more to Paragus' plan then met the eye.

"But your son is most certainly right, Vegeta. This meaningless place has no value to me." he stated and turned his back to him. "It's been miserable here, putting on this little charade. But do you want to know what I really care about?" he asked, turning back around to face him.

My glare softened as curiosity began to consume me.

"It's a little sphere in the north galaxy called _Earth,_" he exclaimed, emphasizing his words. Paragus let out a dark laugh as he raised both of his hands from his sides. "A lush, green, healthy planet. The most beautiful in the cosmos!" he exclaimed, walking around with his arms in the air as if he were preaching to us.

"You have no idea how long I've waited for the right time to re-establish Saiyan dominance!" Paragus paused his speech as he neared the cliff ledge overlooking part of the grounds.

My frown deepened as I listened to him. Why would he go through all the trouble to bring Vegeta all the way out here? Unless… Was he planning to _kill_ Vegeta?

"You think I want the Earth to look like _this?_ A barren wasteland, littered with battle scars and rubble! ... Of course not. Which is why I decided to create this elaborate ruse!" he exclaimed, an index finger finding the palace behind him.

What was he going to do? Leave Vegeta here, go back to Earth and proclaim the death of the prince? Then take over Earth…

"An imaginary town for an imaginary prince," he continued. "Oh how your father would be laughing at _both_ of you right now," mocked Paragus.

How dare he…! I took a battle stance, about to berate the man for his mockery, before he went further.

"Oh, and just one more thing I forgot to mention to you fools: I also chose this planet because in a few short hours, it will collide with comet Kamorai, an astronomical object of _colossal_ proportions! Midori, it was lovely having your presence for such a long period of time. But I doubt you would have agreed with my actions…" he trailed off, walking back to Broly.

This time I gasped, slowly reverting from my fighting stance.

I was seething. "Paragus, you wanted to take over Earth to rebuild the Saiyan race... with _you_ as the ruler. And _you_ were going to kill Vegeta, in order to do so. And lucky for _you_, we got _sucked_ into this too." My entire body was almost shaking in anger.

"Thank you pointing out the obvious, my dear," he sneered in reply.

My eyes darted to the side when I heard Broly's heavy, uneven breathing. His mouth fell open and let out what started as a gasp and then a long, painful sounding groan.

A small voice whispered to me in the back of my mind as my eyes twitched. _You can feel it_, it said. _He's going to loose it. It won't be anything like what you've seen in the past_.

I knew what it meant. It was saying that this time… he would transform... and it would be something far beyond what any of us could imagine.

Paragus held his hand up, bracelet at ready if it needed use.

Goku narrowed his eyes and took a step forward. I glanced at him for a brief moment, but then decided it would be for the best if my attention were on the main attraction.

Everyone was watching him now. Waiting for some phenomenon to occur.

Broly's eyes widened as he took a step forward, then another one. "Kakarot..."

Paragus began to sweat as he watched his son advance towards Goku. "_Broly_... Broly no! Don't waste your time on him," he warned.

Broly paid no heed to his father's words, and with one twitch of an eye he powered up to super level, his blondish-purple hair licking his face as he called Goku's birth name again.

The Saiyan from Earth moved into a fighting stance, Trunks and I following his lead.

Vegeta frowned deeply at the display. "No... I don't think so, this Saiyan is _mine._" his tone was dark; he wasted no time as he mimicked Broly's previous action, his natural hair color chainging as he charged the larger Saiyan from behind.

With one powerful swing of his leg, Vegeta landed a solid kick to the back of his neck.

Broly continued to close in, _"Kakarot!"_ the kick leaving him completely unscathed.

I cursed under my breath. 'This is crazy!'

"Whoa, Vegeta's attack was like nothing to him!" I heard Goku's small exclamation before he jumped a couple meters back. "Let's get something straight: some friends call me Kakarot, but I'm _Goku_, and you're not my friend!" he eyed the oncoming threat in a stern manner.

Paragus threw his head back and gave a hearty laugh. "Well I might not have to wait for the comet to hit to see you die; It seems Broly has other plans for you! Broly, attack!" he threw his fist forward as if to initiate his derailed son.

I took a sharp intake of breath as Broly's eyes gleamed dangerously in our direction, or rather, at Goku. I wasn't entirely aware of the fact that Paragus' bracelet was glowing an unusual color, just aware of the heavy footsteps thudding our way, accompanied by a murderous glare.

Before I could protest, Vegeta retaliated by chucking a concentrated blast at Broly's back.

Goku freaked out, thinking the blast would most likely hit more than one bird, but then Dread snuck up on me again, letting me know with his silent foreshadowing that my beating had yet to come.

When Vegeta's attack hit, all it caused was a harsh gust of wind to throw many of us off balance, and flashes of blue light-energy piercing through a thick smoke screen.

I caught my balance in mid air a few feet away. I wanted to do something… to initiate—to attack! But, I couldn't… I definitely wasn't having second thoughts! Was it fear? The fear that washed over me in harsh waves like the energy spilling out of Broly? Or was the reality that I wanted to kill someone I'd shared so much of my live with? And he most likely wanted to kill me...

Broly was dead still with the exception of his face, which was a twitching mess. His teeth were bared in a nasty snarl as his eyes bulged; his hair was different—his aura was changing…

As he lifted his head to the sapphire skies and commenced in animalistic screaming, I closed my eyes and exhaled hard, before opening them again and bracing myself.

Lowering my feet to the ground, I clenched my fists and watched. 'My heart is beating so fast… it almost hurts. My hands are even shaking…'

Wait… those weren't my hands shaking, it was the ground! The ground was quaking so terribly that it was hard to keep myself upright.

Paragus' shouted warnings became nonexistent as lightning crashed down on us from the now threateningly black sky, as if summoned by Broly's rage. The impact was deafeningly loud, and caused my teeth to rattle when they struck close enough. I didn't know what hurt more, the lightning, or my heart about to burst out of my chest.

Winds rushed past us; blindingly luminous green flashes produced from the man we all had our eyes glued on. It was like some psychedelic hell was being unleashed right before my eyes… Hell… that's right.

I thought we'd have the advantage, us five against one Broly. _WHAT _was I thinking? I felt like running away and not looking back even once.

I gave a brief shake of my head. What was I thinking, running away? Like I hadn't already tried that in the past... It wouldn't do me any good, only prolong my death…

…What the hell. With a shaky breath, I allowed one corner of my mouth to twitch upwards slightly. If I _was_ going to die, then so be it! I'd die an honorable death... in the midst of battle.

I willed myself to take a few steps back when Broly had suddenly calmed. "This… is it."

The calm before the storm.

I doubt my whisper went unheard to Trunks, who stood stiffly at my side, to Goku behind me, or to Vegeta, who slowly made his way to the ground, his face lit up in awe, eyes wide with fear.

I blinked. "Aah!" No sooner had I made this exclamation did my arms shoot up to shield my eyes as the atmosphere was suddenly tinted in the color that was Broly's aura, it's origin exploding in a fiery ball of lime-hued flames. The heat of the air around us seemed to drastically rise with each passing second.

When the light show was over, I lowered my arms bit by bit, only to have my hands latch onto my mouth.

Vegeta finally reached the floor, falling heavily to his knees, his face a pitiful mask of fright that my own fear had claimed as unacceptable.

I shook my head slowly at the monster in front of me. At about eight feet tall, Broly stood as a terrifyingly hulking beast, looking to weigh half a ton of raw muscle.

I began taking steps backward until I bumped into Gohan. He didn't complain; he was in too much shock to take notice. 'What have I done? I've doomed all of us here!' I took a sweeping look around me. Goku, Vegeta, Trunks, Gohan… the others. 'They'll all die because of me.' I just wanted … to curl up in a ball.

It was not until I saw the monster point and smirk in our direction, did I finally become coherent.

"_You_, Kakarot. I choose you to be the first of my victims." His voice was gruff and menacing, as if his throat had been rubbed raw with stone, nothing like I'd ever heard from him before. His eyes were pure white (no irises, no pupils), but insanity danced plainly within them.

My nails dug painfuly into the palms of my hands as I opened my mouth to protest before another voice got to it first.

"No you don't!"

My eyes widened as I faced Gohan in disbelief. Did that boy honestly think he could protect _anyone_ from Broly? "No! Gohan don't—" I was cut off again as Broly came barreling at us.

I barely had time to move; Goku pushed his son out of the way in time, but my heart skipped a beat as I felt Broly's fist graze my arm.

I executed a quick back flip to get out of the way, dust and debris causing me to squint my eyes.

I could only watch as Broly chased the father and son into the air, blasting at them all the way. I cursed under my breath before powering up myself. I tensed up to take off after them before remembering the others.

Trunks stood, still painfully dumbfounded, as Vegeta sat in an even worse state of being.

I growled slightly at their display, but I couldn't blame them. Perhaps I was the one in denial, and not them? "Trunks—Vegeta!" I yelled over the gust of wind my ki created.

Trunks blinked before turning quickly to his father "They're in trouble! Come on, Dad!"

We both ran a few feet before taking off at full speed. I could just barely make out Goku flying into the forest canopy as Gohan plummeted through the dense vegetation.

I slowed up a bit as I neared the father-son duo; the two had just barely evaded a large blast that left an intimidating crater behind it.

My energy dispersed as I landed with my teenaged nephew by my side, my boots sliding a bit on the rocky soil underneath them.

Then the most amazing thing happened: All three of them… they turned into super Saiyans!

I let out a silent gasp as I watched them shimmer in their respective golden auras. I had to quickly force myself out of the small stupor and power up again. I was no super Saiyan, but I could say that I had as much of a chance as they did. After all, I had grown up with the man…

Broly sneered in my direction, his hair blowing wildly. "So, you wish to die too?" It was funny; his tone was wicked and mocking, but this was the most emotion I'd heard him use in a _long_ time.

I merely glared in reply.

He then made the first move by charging at us. I knew then what _bowling_ _pins_ felt like. As he swung a massive arm in three hundred sixty degrees, the four of us were sent flying, each flailing miserably in separate directions.

I grunted in pain as I caught my balance, lucky to not have received the brunt of his attack, and retaliated by hurling a blast at the back of his head. It accomplished nothing. He didn't even glance in my direction, but rather, pursued after Goku and Gohan through a narrow ravine.

I flew up to get a better perspective, then followed the trail of the exploding valley wall.

I released my ki again as I touched down besides Gohan, Trunks appearing a second later.

As I glanced around me, I noticed that all of them were panting, and sported quite a few scratches and rips on their clothing despite the fact that we had barely been in combat for five minutes.

'That's because Broly is going solely after Goku and his son…' Trunks was just unlucky enough to get hit earlier. And it seemed like Broly fought as if I wasn't even an obstacle… or as if I wasn't even there.

I suddenly felt incensed. I had only managed to land one (unsuccessful) attack, while the rest of the time I was dodging or just trying to keep up. How was I supposed to be of use at this rate? Speed certainly wouldn't get me far in this type of fight.

Goku's grave voice brought me from my thoughts, "… but now it's time for round two." just as a jumble of small aliens fell over a cliffside ahead of us.

Ignorantly, I allowed my stance to slack at the odd site before me.

Oolong fell from atop the pile and rolled our ways a little, as Krillin sat with his legs crossed on top of the mound of miniature slaves.

Even Broly's twisted smirk dropped as he glanced behind him to see what the commotion was.

_Everybody_ had dropped their guard and was enthralled with the idiotic scene playing out.

My eyes narrowed as the pig squealed in fear and turned tail (and now the elderly man, Roshi, was dancing… or something).

I then turned on my heel to Trunks who met my somber gaze a second later. "Trunks." I kept my voice low, speaking swiftly, "I want you to stay by my side. It would be better if we took him on in groups of two."

Trunks nodded, his now spiky blond hair swaying ever so slightly. It was something, looking into those aquamarine eyes of his, and _not_ seeing an ounce of malice or blood lust. I wasn't used to that.

"Yes, of course." He moved a bit closer to me for good measure.

Broly broke the silence. "I noticed that you love to look up in the sky at your silly old planet."

I snapped my head up; my eyes following Broly as he turned his back to us and held his palm out at his side. 'What… is he going to do?'

"You're probably dreaming that you can go back one day…" his hand began to glow and I felt my heart beat pick up. "But it's just a _dream!_"

My eyes widened as I visibly paled "Broly!—"

He swung his arm low to the ground, sending a bullet-fast blast at them.

I lowered my head, pinching my eyes shut tight, awaiting the explosion and screams of the dying.

After a few seconds of silence, I hesitantly opened my eyes and noticed that everyone's gaze had gone up, including the still living slaves.

The moment my sights had locked onto a distant planet in the atmosphere, the said large blue orb imploded, the resounding _boom_ not going unheard to us.

Oh… Kais…

I closed my eyes, slowly this time, and let out a heavy sigh as Broly laughed joyously.

Gohan emit a small gasp before uttering, "He's pure evil…"

Trunks growled slightly at my side "If we let this dirt-bag live, he'll continue to destroy the entire _universe_."

I lifted my hands up and massaged my temples slowly with the tips of my fingers. I could feel the blood boiling beneath them.

Goku attempted to help the others. "Krillin! I need you to get everyone out of here—go now! You too, Roshi."

With my eyes still closed, all that signaled their retreat was the clicking of feet and shoes against the hard, rocky floor.

"Midori!" a hand suddenly grasped my forearm, and I was swung out of the way, just as Broly nailed Trunks into the cliff-side with a massive arm.

Suddenly, Goku was in front of me, pulling me behind him as if to shield me from Broly. I wanted to berate him for assuming that I couldn't defend myself; I wanted to _scold myself_ for my lack of concentration, which put my nephew into that situation.

"Trunks!" I grit my teeth as I waited for a response.

A few seconds later he gave a low groan, and I sighed in relief.

Broly then turned to us, chuckling evilly. "Look, my love… doesn't the boy remind you of Lattice?" He locked his gaze onto Gohan, reaching out a hand in his direction, then clenching it as if to crush the boy's head.

I moved from behind Goku to stand in front of Gohan, glaring hard at the offending Saiyan. I may have looked rather daunting, but right then I'd felt like crying. "Broly, you wouldn't _dare!_" I could hardly believe he had the nerve to mention… _him_…

"Do you think… he would have grown up to be such a fine young man?" his voice sounded slightly depressing, but the insane smirk his lips wore told me otherwise.

I bared my teeth and growled, blinking my eyes rapidly so that the unshed tears would _stay_ unshed. "He would have if you hadn't _killed_ him, you _INSANE BASTARD!"_ My voice shook slightly as I screamed at him.

Goku looked at me, his eyebrows furrowed, as Broly threw his head back and laughed. How I wanted to blow that laughing face away…

When he sobered up a bit, he turned his sights to Goku. "Kakarot, how much do you love your son?"

Goku was now standing besides me, commanding his son to leave. The young demi-Saiyan protested weakly, but eventually complied.

As Gohan powered up and took off, it was only the two of us that Broly proceeded to attack. Goku took the initiative and met Broly in an arm lock.

I clenched my fists and leaped into the air, hurling two blasts at Broly's head, just as Goku jumped up and kneed the giant in his chin. Both attacks failed, and with Broly's hands gripping Goku's shoulders, he threw the shorter Saiyan over his shoulder like nothing, into the ruins of an old building.

He then turned to me, a nasty glare covering his face. "You will get yours as well!" He fired several rounds at me, each missing, before he took control of them to follow my movements. I managed to evade the handful of them for quite some time, the chase leading me further into the long abandoned city we had found ourselves in.

Suddenly as I made a turn, I came face-to-face with a wall. I didn't even have time to gasp as the balls of fire assaulted my back, ripping a gut-wrenching scream from my throat. The heat of the attack burned my flesh, sending shots of white-hot pain through my whole body as I sailed towards the ground.

My sight became blurrier with each passing second, until the cement floor smacked my back with an unforgiving force. My eyes shot open to their full extent as a newfound throbbing sensation rippled throughout my whole body, and I found myself wheezing heavily until my eyes could no longer stay open.

In the last few moments of my consciousness, I just barely registered the sound of a boy's voice crying out in pain…

…

…

"_No! Paragus, please… You can't leave him alone with Lattice, he'll hurt him!" Midori's voice was slightly frantic as she tried to push past Paragus, but he was as mobile as a brick wall to her attempts to bypass him._

_He finally laid a firm hand on her shoulder. "No... you are wrong, Midori. He wouldn't lay a finger on his own son. It's what he needs right now, anyway."_

_She could only stare down the older Saiyan, his words easing her none. "What he needs is time to himself to calm down! Leaving him alone with a one year-old will only worsen his mood!"_

_Paragus simply smirked at Midori's heated remark "You're maternal instincts are second to none, my dear. But, you must have more faith in _my_ son."_

_Midori stared incredulously at the man before her. "I know Broly would never _purposely_ hurt Lattice, but did you not see him earlier? He was just in one of his moods, and he hasn't had enough time to come out of it…"_

_Paragus sighed heavily before turning his back to her. "If you do not believe me, then come see for yourself."_

_He then led Midori through the darkened corridors of their spaceship, before they stopped in front of the room usually occupied by Broly and herself._

_The two Saiyans shared a brief glance before Midori slowly pushed the door open, finding not a massacre, but a sight that made her smile gently._

_Broly was seated on the floor, his back against the side of their bed, as he trailed feather soft strokes across the back of the infant son they shared, with his massive hand._

_Lattice, just recently learning how to walk, could barely sit still and had managed to crawl away from his father's touch and stumbled over his legs, where he then latched onto one of them._

_Broly remained placid as he bent the said leg up, watching silently as his son climbed up the leg and up to his chest, his tail wagging as he made all kind of baby noises._

_Broly then parted his lips ever so slightly, as if to speak, but remained silent as he continued to pet the tiny body curled up around his neck. Finally, "Our son, he is… beautiful…" the words came out slow, as if he were measuring each sound made._

_With her hands folded before her, Midori took a few steps forward, before kneeling next to him. "Yeah… I guess that would make you…" she trailed off, reaching up to caress Lattice's small tail, "A narcissist?" she smirked slightly as Broly plucked the tiny child off of his chest with one hand and then held his arm out. Lattice was now hooked onto his arm, upside down, holding on with all of his tiny appendages. He let out a giggle when Broly lifted his arm higher._

_As Saiyan genetics usually went, he was his father's near twin. His hair was long; they had the same facial structure and eyes. For Paragus it was almost like having his son tiny all over again._

"_Bo!"_

"_He'll be two any day now." Broly allowed a tiny smirk at the sound Lattice had made._

"_Yes…"_

"_Bohwy!" he was now standing between Broly's legs holding his arms up._

_Midori's heart fluttered as she blinked in surprise. "Did he just say your name?"_

_If Broly was feeling any emotion akin to shock… it was hard to tell by just looking at him. He just continued to caress the soft raven hair atop Lattice's head. It was almost as if he was still accepting the fact that he could have helped make such a lovely little boy._

_The Saiyan woman smiled inwardly at these displays._

'_Broly's outbursts have gotten worse in the last thirteen years I've known him… Maybe this really is what he needs. He loves his little boy; he's almost transfixed, it would seem.'_

…

…

… '_Why? __Why wouldn't he stop crying? If he had just stopped…'_

_Midori choked hard on a sob as she struggled to turn over on her side. Her eyes stung with fresh tears, and her body was wracked with a pain nearing imaginable._

_Paragus laid a little ways off, unconscious, and she knew that she wasn't too far behind._

_Broly suddenly screamed up to the moonless sky, causing her to flinch violently, his voice harshly calling out that foreign name again._

_Kakarot. Who was Kakarot?_

'_Not my son… Not my son, damn it!_

_SO WHY?_

_WHY DID HE SCREAM THAT NAME AS HE—_

_As he… he…_

…_choked the life… out of my three-year-old son?_

_HIS SON!_

OUR SON!

…_Why?'_

…

…

No… no… that was… a long time ago.

'Where am I? What am I... _ugh._'

I tried moving, but it seemed that no part of my body was willing to respond. So I decided to start out slow instead.

First I flexed my fingers; they were sluggish in response. It felt as if my whole body was in slow motion. Like I was trying to rouse myself from a deep sleep, but my brain wasn't quite out of the fog yet. My mind was telling me to go back to sleep, but my body kept refusing.

That's when a sharp pain shot from my fingertips to every nerve it could lay hold on.

My eyes were already closed, but I squeezed them tighter anyway as I let out a low groan.

What had happened to me?

'… _Oh'._

I didn't realize it first, but I had been staring up at the cloudy sky for quite some time now.

And there was someone hovering over me.

I opened my mouth, but when no sound came out I had to clear my throat. "T- Trunks?" I let my head roll to the side, shutting my eyes tight again.

I heard him sigh in relief "Midori, you need to eat this."

Eat?

I opened one eye and frowned. He seemed much closer than before. Was it because my head was suddenly in his lap? …Was that a bean he was holding?

"Please, this will heal you! You have to hurry!" He moved the tiny item closer to my mouth.

"No need to yell." My voice was hoarse as I closed my eyes again and opened my lips, allowing my nephew to drop the small bean into my mouth.

The thing was completely tasteless, and after a few chews I swallowed.

My eyes snapped open in surprise as a strong, but welcoming warmth washed over my entire being. With each section it passed, any kind of pain was erased with it. My mind was also unexpectedly clearer.

I felt… rejuvenated?

I sat up easily enough, then stood slowly, taking in my surroundings.

Crumbling buildings… dust and debris… but…

My eyes narrowed. "Where is everyone?" I sensed them not too far off, but why was there no fighting?

Trunks nodded to his right "This way. A friend of ours from Earth is here too."

I gazed off in said direction, glancing back briefly when his energy sparked. He was super Saiyan again.

I forced myself not to stare; really, it was nothing new to me. But to meet _three_ (No… four. Wasn't Vegeta one?) of them all at once… was a little startling.

Trunks then laid a hand on my shoulder. "Come on, let's go."

I nodded, and we both slowly levitated before moving forward at a reasonable speed.

"Midori, what you said about us sticking together… I think I should stay close to Gohan this time. Besides, I think Goku complements your style better…"

I didn't ask what he meant by that. Maybe it was because he knew my fighting style through the future me? Or was it that he had his eyes on protecting Gohan?

Either way, we were nearing the others, and it was time I took off the training gloves.


	5. A Dramatic Ending

**Chapter five... The end of Broly! The start of a new life on Earth...**

**Hm... **

**I don't think I've done a disclaimer in a while; All Dragon Ball Z characters or likely names DO NOT belong to me. Only Midori... and Lattice... if I ever get that far into this fic... maybe by chapter 25?**

* * *

I hovered beside the super Saiyan from Earth, as per Trunks' suggestion.

The said friend was noticed right away, and we both acknowledged one another with a short glance. His skin was greener than any grass I'd seen, but on his arms were bright pink tracings of where his muscles bulged. Topping that off with the elfish ears and antennae, I silently wondered of what race he could have been.

I then turned my gaze to the tower encompassed by our band of warriors. Standing at its peak like some sort of conqueror, Broly smirked cruelly at each of us, his empty gaze shifting slowly.

"If you had just let me kill you all before, you wouldn't be dealing with this pain now…" He trailed off, his upturned smile doing a one-eighty as he added, "You're all complete and _utter_ waste of Saiyan blood!"

Goku glanced in my direction. I nodded subtly in return.

Thrusting my taught hands forward, I concentrated on Broly's twisted face between my two index fingers—perfectly down my line of fire. A thick, hazy energy shrouded my hands as small bits of electricity sparked around them; it was one of my signature attacks (used more as a defensive maneuver, but an excellent offensive just the same).

A gauzy dome of energy suddenly captured my estranged mate like the most minuscule of water insects in a preying fish's mouth, and he allowed himself to show a small ounce of shock as much larger electrical currents lashed out at him.

Goku charged an instant later, but by the time his fist had connected with Broly, the mentally derailed Saiyan had broken through my bubble with a simple flex of his muscles.

'Damn him!' As I cursed helplessly, the green-skinned warrior joined the barrage of punches and kicks alongside Goku, which were almost too easily being evaded by the antagonistic hulk.

I inhaled sharply, flourishing my hands high above my head (useless, yet habitual…) to fire two rounds, one after the other, just as Broly swatted Goku and his companion away with a tiny pulse of energy.

My blasts, accompanied by the combined shots of Gohan and Trunks hit Broly with a deafening explosion (one that blew back my hair completely), but left him just as unscathed as before.

As if bored with our antics, he suddenly dropped to the city streets bellow; we followed, as if pulled by an invisible lure.

The Namek (yes, I'm sure that's what he is now!) tried to strike him from above, only to be taken for a spin in mid air by a well-placed punch and roundhouse kick.

Throwing caution to the wind, (maybe even my common sense) I landed directly in front of Broly—just as he _trampled_ over Trunks and Gohan—and managed to punch him square in the face; it was like punching lead!

'Ouch!' The force of the blow caused a painful vibration to travel up and down my arm, and Broly to stop dead in his tracks.

Although I doubt my attack had been that powerful…

'Shit.'

With an agitated facial twitch, he reached out, seizing me by the wrist, and tossed me over his shoulder effortlessly.

All I registered as I gasped in surprise was the wind whistling past me, just before I rammed head first into the concrete wall of a random building. The nearly crushing impact sent a throbbing sensation through me, causing me to fall before I could right myself.

I landed on what I assumed was the roof of yet another building, the ruble stabbing and poking at my bare arms and back (I had just noticed the hole burned through the backside of my clothing).

I quickly rolled over, which initiated a nauseating shift of my vision. I shook my head roughly to get rid of the temporary vertigo, but this only caused it to throb harder.

I growled loudly, my frustration getting the better of me as I attempted to stand.

When I was sitting on my knees, a body dropped out of the skies—_"Shit!"—_nearly giving me a heart attack as it landed only an arm's length away from me.

I frowned in confusion. _"Vegeta?"_ That's right, he had been left behind before...

His gaze was fixed on the dreary heavens above him, his eyes glazed over with an incredulous fear.

Something about the look on his face sent a chill through me. Like I was getting a reminder of what I was really fighting. "…Brother?"

"He'll kill us all." was his hushed reply. As he murmured this similarly passed (though feebly denied) thought, I could hear Goku's agonizing cries in the distance.

I shook my head slowly at Vegeta. This… this was _not_ the man he was supposed to be; He was the arrogant, hot-tempered, powerful, _proud_ prince of Saiyans! He wasn't allowed to show his fear… The man I had heard so many stories about wouldn't have, nor the brother that reached out to me in my subconscious throughout my entire childhood...

I didn't need a mirror to see how my face emulated his hopeless terror. "Vegeta, don't you remember what you said?" I felt my voice wavering despite my attempts to sound scornful.

He turned his head slightly at my shaking voice.

"The single most important thing to a Saiyan… their _pride_…"

This got him to sit up slowly, albeit his expression unchanged.

My lower eyelids rose slightly at his actions. "I may not know you very well, _brother,_ but I never would have assumed you to behave like this when the tides of battle were against us…" My voice held small undertones of anger in it, but mostly disbelief.

His horrified expression suddenly faded into a grimmer one as he finally stood.

I followed suit silently. "Vegeta, we need our prince…"

No answer.

I stared incredulously at the man's back. "Are you really going to let this genocide continue? They _need_ you… _I_ need you." I bit cliché on my part, but entirely the truth.

After a moment of silence he finally spoke. "Look at them… they're fools." His deep voice held no emotion, but his eyes once again told a different story. He was so utterly afraid—just as much as I was.

Goku's voice echoed throughout the city before a loud blast sounded.

My eyes narrowed at the simple truth he spoke. "Then so am I."

His fists clenched at his sides as he growled, "Can't you _see?_ They're all mere grunts… fighting an _entire_ army!"

"And so am I! But we need our leader!" I walked around him so he could see my desperation clearly. "I need my prince..."

He finally tore his sights away from the distance to make eye contact. I could see that I'd finally hit a nerve.

I allowed a tiny smirk to cross my face. "So… what are you going to do, _your majesty?" A_s my words hit the air, Vegeta's energy flared dangerously.

"_I AM PRINCE VEGETA!_" he let out a ferocious cry as he transformed, his hair bleaching itself blonde as his eyes were swallowed up in a pool of bluish green.

Then, with a mighty display of power he charged straight into the line of fire, his leftover ki all but blowing me away.

I let my small smirk grow as I took to the skies as well, hot on his blazing trail.

As we zoomed up a narrow street, my eyes locked onto a shifting pile of rubble—Trunks.

Something told that if I aided Vegeta it would only hinder him, so I opted to stop beside the teen instead.

As Vegeta soared past, Trunks' smile grew large, and he couldn't help but throw a fist into the air. "Get him, dad!" He grasped my shoulder with his free hand, overjoyed that his father had come to the rescue.

We could hear his voice clearly as he charged Broly straight on, which made me smile too. "I am the ruler of _all_ Saiyans—even you, _Broly!_"

The mentioned Saiyan stood idly and smirked at the oncoming prince. "Then please, try your best to make me _kneel_ before you!" His own words brought on a short, harsh laugh.

When Vegeta had closed in, he struck first with his fist, which Broly dodged, then maneuvered a quick flip, slamming his boot-clad foot into the menace's shoulders.

My smile began to fade.

This kick yielded little to no effect. Quickly reacting, the prince spun around, using the ground to push himself back up before he slammed another fist into Broly's chin.

Broly acknowledged the punch by tilting his head back slightly.

My panic began to build up again as I hurriedly turned to Trunks, grabbing his arm. "Now!"

I practically dragged him into the air as we raced towards Vegeta.

Once he was safely behind us, I held my hands out, releasing a volley of energy blasts as Trunks fired one large ball at him.

Then Broly was in front of us.

A split second later I was sent flying who knows how far away, my jaws feeling as if they'd been snapped in half as I let out a mangled scream.

This time I was sent crashing through several walls—

_BAM_

"GAHH—"

_CRASH_

—before the loss of momentum caused me to tumble to a stop.

I gasped in pain as my vision swam. I could hear voices, but my mind couldn't process them.

Positioned on my side, I pulled my knees stiffly toward my chest, the scraping and cutting of flesh by the sharp rocks and broken glass like faint tickles compared to what my body was radiating.

My tunic had been completely torn away, leaving me in the skin-tight, sage-green material.

If there hadn't been blood before (I hadn't paid much attention) there was definitely a fair share now; I was covered in it: my arms, my legs, and half of my face.

'Wait… who's that?' I could hear a very gruff voice calling out to me.

…Vegeta? No…

It was the Namekian. He wanted us to… channel energy to Goku?

There was a soft grunt just a few feet away from me, causing me to wheeze in surprise.

An unmistakably young voice found my ears from a surprisingly close distance "I hear you…"

I saw that he now had his eyes open, but was lodged firmly into the rocky side of a mountain just a few feet beside me. "Goha—" I stopped as a rough cough tore its way from my throat before I could finish his name. After a few more wheezes, I gave a weak laugh. "Is this it for us?"

Gohan shifted slightly from his position to face me. "_No,_ we have to give my dad—" he groaned in agony, "—our energy!" he forced the rest out, and I caught a glimpse of him shutting his eyes with a painful twinge.

I nodded numbly, my eyelids drooping, lips slightly parted. "I'll try." I then closed my eyes.

I could see him—his aura. The pain, the sounds of battle; I could practically feel Goku's movements and a slight pressure for every blow he took.

He was being beaten severely, but refused to stay down; he _needed _us.

It took me a great deal of effort to lift my frail arm above my head. I had to be careful with how much energy I was putting out. If not, I could end up killing myself…

My eyes watched unblinkingly, though at half-shade, as an emerald mist seeped out of my pores; I felt as if the air in my lungs was following suit—I had to take a deep breath to stabilize myself.

"Dad…" Gohan's voice was growing weaker too. I could feel his life-force energy floating feebly past me.

After nearly another minute I began to feel light headed. 'What is taking so long?'

Goku was _still_ being pummeled, with no signs of improvement.

It was then that I heard a voice in my head—much clearer than before:

_**Just give me all of your power, Vegeta, and I'll defeat him!**_

Goku… There was a faint note of pleading in his voice.

Why wasn't Vegeta helping?

I could hear the others calling out to him now.

Gohan shifted slightly, making a sound of discomfort. "_Please_, just do it..."

I stretched my fingers out as my arm became increasingly sore.

'Brother, please… you have to.'

I could feel the prince stalling, as Goku voiced his frustrations over Vegeta for _all_ of us to hear, including Broly.

Another minute stretched by.

I was panting heavily now. "Gohan, I don't think I can do this for much longer…" My bleeding arm felt equally heavy as my head did light; but I _had_ to persist as even more energy wisped away from me.

Gohan whimpered slightly at my previous remark: "_Dad…"_

_**Vegeta… what are you waiting for? You're our… last hope**__. _Goku's voice came out with much less fervor than it had before.

But I barely heard his voice as he screamed for Vegeta once more. My eyes were demanding closure.

And then a familiar mass of ki floated past me, signaling what I knew would be the end of something greatly terrible.

I gave a small smirk as I lowered my arm and fell completely on my back again, my limbs splayed out around me.

It surprised me that I hadn't fallen unconscious right then and there. But this allowed me to see the fight clearly through my closed eyes.

Goku seized Broly's fist and forced him back.

The look on the 'Legendary' super Saiyan's face was priceless. When was the last time I'd seen fear in that man?

It was then that the very ground beneath me began to shift violently, and it _wasn't_ from the two fighters.

I lifted my head up and gasped. An immense blue orb was making its way to the planet. I knew it would be here within the minute.

I forced myself onto my feet, my legs screaming in protest. "No! It's the comet!" I stumbled over to Gohan, collapsing clumsily to my knees before him, my hands cupping the boy's face. "Gohan, wake up!" I pleaded the young half-Saiyan to open his eyes.

After a few seconds, his eyes slowly opened, then immediately widened. He must have seen the comet behind me. How could he not? He would have to ignore the sky altogether.

I fastened my hands onto his shoulders and gave a small grunt as I pulled him out of the indent in the rock. His small body fell limply into my arms, but the extra weight alone was enough for me to have to lean against the stony wall to prevent myself from falling on top of him.

Instant transmission!

_No_, I could only transport to a location if a person was there. Who would be out in the middle of space?

I lowered my head and cursed.

Everything happened so fast after that:

Broly's blood curdling screams as his body exploded from the wound dealt by Goku.

The sky and everything around me turning cerulean as the comet grew so close that it reflected its tint on us.

'This is it…'

My heart beating in the top of my throat…

Finally, the strong arm wrapping around my waist as I literally saw stars for a fraction of a second.

Then everything was white.

My eyes were as wide as saucers. I didn't even realize how hard I was gripping Gohan until the poor boy grabbed my hands and tugged at them.

I was also lying against someone's side. Actually, I was lying on top of a whole bunch of someones.

I released my death grip on the small boy's waist, turning my startled gaze upwards.

I was met with pretty turquoise eyes and a warm smile, barely an index finger's distance from my face.

I was still in a daze. Were we on a spaceship?

Goku gave a toothy grin and held his arm out, giving a 'V for victory' sign, before laughing joyously.

I let out a breath I hadn't known I was holding, and fell limp against the super Saiyan's shoulder. I ignored the murmurs of everyone, or the fact that I was sitting on top of other people, and let myself fall into a much welcomed rest…

* * *

...

King Kai stood on the driveway of his humble planet, his arms folded behind his back as he smiled up at the sky. "Goku… I am _so_ proud."

* * *

...

I stretched my arms out again, my back arching with the movement. "So… how much longer until we get to Earth?"

Trunks smiled lightly. "The guys say about another five hours."

I smiled back, ignoring the small twitch of pain in my cheek where there was a large bruise.

We were in the upper level of the spaceship: the living quarters. Downstairs was the operating unit and entrance. It was just the Saiyans upstairs, catching up on our rest.

Goku lay sprawled over a bed in the stark-white room, one arm draped protectively over his young son.

Vegeta was on the opposite side of the room, on another bed, with his back to us so he was facing the wall. Something told me he wasn't really sleeping.

He had been quiet ever since we had gotten here, or so I had heard. I'd only awoken several minutes ago.

"When we get back to Earth," Trunks spoke up, sounding uncertain in his words.

I turned to him and raised an eyebrow in question.

"Where will you go?"

I smirked at the teenager and folded my arms over my chest. "With you of course… If that's okay with you—and Vegeta as well."

His cautious look melted into relief, and he nodded, much happier than before "Yeah! You could stay at my house, my mother wouldn't mind one bit."

"So, what's waiting for me on Earth?" I kept up my sly smile.

Trunks' grin dropped and he immediately seemed nervous.

My eyebrows bunched in confusion. "What?" I didn't like the alarming change in demeanor one bit.

He shook his head slowly "Uh… remember when I told you about the androids in the future?" he paused as I nodded "Well, I never fully explained why I came back to the past."

I frowned. "To stop the androids and save everyone in the past from dying." What else was there to it?

"Yes, that was the original plan. But, when I returned to the past _again_, I saw that my time travel had interfered with the flow of history. I think it also effected this whole fiasco."

I nodded again, remembering how he told me I had come to Earth alone in search of Vegeta, and that I had _poisoned_ Broly of all things…

"Well, when I came to fight the androids with everyone, I saw that two different ones had emerged instead of the ones from _my_ time. What made it worse was that even though they were eventually defeated, the Doctor, who'd turned himself into one of them, released the original pair anyway."

I remained silent with a solemn expression, letting him continue.

"Androids Seventeen and Eighteen… they were eventually taken care of, but not in the way we intended for them. They were absorbed by a much more powerful android, which made him even _stronger._"

I stared at Trunks incredulously. "Is this cyborg waiting for us on Earth?"

Trunks nodded grimly. "In my time, he emerged when the androids where already gone, so he took _my _time machine and came to this time, then absorbed them before we could kill them off." He paused to let loose a tired sigh. "And now he's arranged a tournament in nine days. I think we have three days left—depends on what time it is back home."

I stared down at the floor for a moment, 'From one fight to another, eh?' before facing my nephew again. "Just _how_ strong is this android?"

"Oh, he's incredibly strong." He lightened up a bit when he saw my face darken "But I know he's _nothing_ like what we faced today; I faced Cell. He beat me… but I _almost_ had him." He looked a bit darker himself with those last words.

He stared hard at the floor for a moment, his eyes a bit narrow. "… I have faith in Goku." His statement sounded a bit hesitant, but I chose not to question him.

I had faith in Goku, too.

"_Enough!_"

We both turned our surprised gazes to the left, just as Vegeta was making his way up to us with a very unpleasant expression. "Cell is merely a petty factory recall, and _I _will be the one to break him!" He spat these words with great disdain as he glared at his son.

I discretely glanced to my right to see if his yelling had disturbed the resting pair, but they were sleeping as hard as rocks.

I also assumed that this 'Cell' was the mentioned android.

He then turned to me, his expression unwavering. "I have a few things to discuss with you." His voice remained cold.

I shifted my gaze between him and Trunks before nodding. "Of course."

Vegeta turned his heated stare onto Trunks once again, folding his toned arms over his armored chest. "_Alone._"

For a second, it seemed as if Trunks was hurt by his father's tone, but nonetheless turned and walked off, probably downstairs.

There was a silence between us, before Vegeta moved to my side by a window that looked out into the dark outer space. He expression abruptly changed after that; His shoulders slackened and eyes closed, losing the glare and replacing it with a troubled look.

I sighed quietly, moving my sights to the space beyond us as well. "What is on your mind, Vegeta?"

"How?"

I blinked slowly. "How what?"

He turned sharply, his eyes hard again. "Your mother was said to have been on Planet Vegeta when Frieza blew it to smithereens! So how in the world were you even born?"

I opened my mouth to speak, but…

"And how did you _ever_ come across that _freak_ of a Saiyan?" his voice was getting rougher, and his glare was more pointed, as if he were angry with me.

'So damn feisty…' I chuckled quietly, causing Vegeta's expression to slack into a more annoyed one.

"I see nothing funny about this." His eyes twitched slightly.

"Well, Vegeta, my mother escaped in a space pod right before the explosion. She gave birth to me on planet Yardrat a few weeks later and died a couple hours after that." I gave a short shrug. "The people of the planet were kind and raised me, and were gracious enough to inform me about my past." I trailed off and sighed, leaning my head against the window. "I even saved our royal family crescent, but after years of being on the move, I lost it along the way…"

Vegeta tapped a foot impatiently, amusing me.

Heheh...

I turned to him. "Vegeta, you knew my mother, am I right? And are you aware that Goku and I both share the instantaneous transmission technique? He must have gone to planet Yardrat some time ago—"

He suddenly gripped my shoulder and pulled me forward until our noses were almost touching. "Stop _fooling_ around and answer my damn questions!" It was then that I noticed that I was a bit taller than Vegeta… Hm. His hair _more_ than made up the difference, though.

I held my hands up in a non-offending manner, trying to hide my smile but failing. "Okay, yes, of course." I cleared my throat as Vegeta released me. "Anyway, Paragus and his son crash landed on Yardrat one day, and I left with them. After that, I'd been living a nomadic life with Broly and his father for the last nineteen years."

His eyes visibly widened before they darkened. He seemed somewhat haunted. "You must have persevered a great deal in life."

I smiled sadly in response. "Yes… But, is that anything compared to living under Frieza's rule for even longer? Broly was my mate, after all, not an evil tyrant…"

Vegeta grunted and shut his eyes momentarily. "Yes, I am _aware_."

"Well, throughout the years his anger issues became progressively worse. He told me that he always had nightmares about a Saiyan named Kakarot. He hated him. I never really found out why, though. After about…" I trailed off and squinted one eye as I looked up at the ceiling. "Twelve years, I tried escaping… that's all I did for the next seven years of my life. I stopped a while back, right before Paragus told us of his plans…" I trailed off quietly.

Vegeta was ever the more still as he stared into space. He then shifted his weight from one foot to the other, his arms still tensed over his chest. "We share very amazing life stories, you and I."

I smirked at that. "You assume that just because I lived most of my life with Broly that I must have constantly experienced the unbelievable."

He arched an eyebrow. "Well, _didn't_ you? Your sarcasm contradicts the statement you made of trying to escape for seven years straight."

"You're right…" I nodded, still smiling.

After that, our conversation consisted of some of the most horrible things we had ever done or had experienced in the past couple decades. For over an hour it seemed as if we tried out-doing one another with our tales of ludicrously and horror.

While Vegeta's tone was that of anger and resentment, I told my share of stories with a sad undertone and an occasional dry humor.

Vegeta clenched a fist. "But here we are, the children of the Great King Vegeta; we've faced many quandaries to last us _more_ than a lifetime, but we've lived on. Once our bond was born, it was unbreakable; we fueled each other to survival from across the universe!" He spoke in such a tone that made our stories sound like the epic of the century.

Vegeta's mini speech caused me to realize something with a start, as I placed a hand on his shoulder. "Was that the… 'bond' that caused me to have visions of you in my childhood?"

He nodded silently. "For Saiyan children, if you feel something strong enough, your sibling can easily feel the same emotions or thoughts. For twins the ability is enhanced tenfold. It serves as a way to reach out to one's brother or sister easily. As we get older, it becomes harder to do, but again, it all depends on how deeply you feel the said emotion."

"That makes sense. While you were driving so hard to escape the clutches of Frieza not so many years ago, I was trying to escape Broly. We both loathed the positions we were trapped in."

Vegeta glanced at me out of the corner of his eye. "When we return, I shall test your strength and see whether or not you are a worthy opponent in battle."

This took me by surprise. 'But, of course, I have yet to fully understand my older brother; six years older he is, if I'm correct.'

He then narrowed his eyes, giving a brief glance to my hand that was still resting on his shoulder.

I quickly removed it and gave a small apology.

He ignored the apology and turned to face me fully, his hard mask back on. "I will tell you this, young sister…" he spoke in a warning tone, and the way he looked at me was as if he were staring down at me, despite my height advantage. "We may share the same blood… we may have our brutal pasts in common, but I _don't_ know you. So I'm going to be watching you."

What had happened after that heart-warming speech about sibling bonds?

…So he still had some guards up. What did I expect? We'd been aware of each other for almost thirty years, but had just now spoken our first words as siblings on this day. 'He'll come around…'

…

As I made my way leisurely off of the space ship's ramp, I knew my first few steps on Earth soil would never be forgotten. We walked across a large yard, and there was an impressive dome-shaped building with English writing on it, reading: CAPSULE CORP.

The grass was the loveliest shade of green I'd ever seen, the sky was a beautiful sapphire, and the air was so clean that I wished for a moment that it could have been thick enough to cut through and eat…

Then there was the beautiful human woman with pretty blue hair holding an infant.

I inhaled the fresh air deeply, cleansing my lungs. "So, _this_ is Earth…"


	6. Fitting In?

**Chapter 6: Chapters like these always make me cringe; they're so corny... introducing an OC to the "gang life" (gang meaning main characters/cast). But alas, they must be done...**

**And if I have neglected to so far, I give thanks for the favorites on this story! It means a lot, really~**

* * *

The woman had shoulder length, greenish-blue hair, bangs cropped across her forehead, and sparkling eyes that matched the sky looking down upon her. She was petite, and wore a simple outfit of what I assumed to be "jeans" and a loose, short-sleeved shirt.

I felt an instant familiarity with her energy, causing me to smile.

Vegeta then walked off, as if there were nothing to see or talk about, into the giant dome-shaped building.

'This must be his home…'

"Trunks, you're okay!" I heard the female call as she advanced swiftly, being careful not to shake the baby in her arms.

Piccolo promptly flew off.

She stopped next to Trunks and began circling around him, looking over his body for any apparent injuries.

"It's fine, I'm alright." He laughed lightly and reached out to touch the wriggling baby in her arms.

My attention was taken away from the pair when someone tapped me on the shoulder. I arched an eyebrow. "Yes, Goku?"

Goku smiled and pointed to the human woman. "That's Trunks' mom there: Bulma. We go _waaay_ back."

I nodded slowly. "So… that must be the Trunks of this time?" I gestured to the baby in Bulma's arms.

Goku nodded "Yep." He then lifted one arm up and placed his elbow on my shoulder as if we were great pals, which almost threw me off balance as he put what felt like his entire weight on it. "Hey, Bulma!"

Bulma looked over in our direction and smiled. "Oh, hey Goku, Gohan." The two males waved in response.

"Hi there! Hey listen, Bulma: I really gotta get home to Chichi, she must _really _want to kill me…" He scratched the side of his cheek with an index finger; probably a nervous habit.

As he was talking, Bulma approached us and maneuvered the baby Trunks into one arm so she could place the other on her hip. "Well fine. But at least introduce me to your _friend_, Goku." Her gaze was harsh for a moment, until she turned to me and smiled.

I suddenly felt awkward, being introduced to my brother's mate like this. Covered in nothing but torn spandex and boots, leaning to the side like an idiot.

"Mom, this is Vegeta's sister; my aunt." Trunks intervened a second later.

Bulma's eyes went twice their size as she turned back to me. "_Oh_ my gosh!" she paused to shake her head. "Talk about a small _universe!_"

Her eyes then became more alert as she inquired, "Just where exactly did you guys _go?_ And what happened? You're all beaten up, too!" she quickly scanned the rest of us.

I spared a glance to the three Saiyans around me, shrugging. "It's a long story." I then reached up and removed Goku's elbow so I could stand upright and take a step toward Bulma.

I bowed my head slightly and placed a hand over my chest. "It's an honor to meet you, Bulma. I've gotten to know your son, and he is a remarkable young man." I brought my gaze back up and stared at Trunks in her arms as he reached out to me. "Or… he _will_ be." I smirked and held a pinky finger out for the baby to latch onto. He had quite a grip.

But then images and memories of my son flooded me in an unwelcome rush, and I couldn't hide my disheartened gaze.

Bulma tilted her head to the side a bit and frowned. "Oh… thanks. Are you… okay?"

I blinked in surprise. "Huh? Oh, yes. Please forgive me, my name is Midori." I flashed my 'sister in law' a smile to try and reassure her.

She brightened up a bit after that. "That's a pretty name. But it doesn't sound Saiyan."

I could tell Goku was getting nervous, as he was now scratching the back of his head.

"Well, I wasn't raised as a Saiyan. I was born on a planet called Yardrat-"

"_Whoa!_ No way!"

The four of us turned our attention to Goku, who in turn stared at me in awe.

"I've been there before! I remember the elders telling this story about a being like me, but I didn't think it was _you!_"

Bulma shook her head once more before facing me again. "Well Midori, it looks like you and Goku have something in common besides having been on Yardrat at one time or another."

I raised both eyebrows and allowed my restless tail to wrap around my waste. "And what would that be?"

She smiled and pushed a bit of hair behind her ear as the wind picked up. "Goku wasn't raised as a Saiyan. He was brought up as a human, by a human, even though he was wasn't one. He didn't find out about his heritage until…" she trailed off, silently asking Goku the answer.

He scratched his forehead and blinked his eyes. "Gosh, like six years ago."

_Really_ now... "That's…" I trailed off and couldn't help but shake my head. Shouldn't something have told him that _maybe_ he wasn't human if he was so much stronger than the whole world's population? Not to mention the tail he most likey had growing up...

Huh.

"Dad." Gohan spoke up for the first time since we'd emerged from the shuttle. "I think we should get going now." He tugged at his father's arm gently.

Goku confirmed with a nod and smile "Yeah, right." He placed two fingers on his forehead in what I assumed was going to be instant transmission.

"_Hey_, just wait a minute, Goku!" Bulma sounded a bit indignant now.

Goku lowered his hand and stared blankly at her. I'd seen this look on him a few times already. It reminded me of the one stereotype I'd heard a while back... What was it? Dumb blonde... Yes.

"Don't you think your wife would be less angry if you arrived home in _proper_ clothing?"

I had thought the same thing, but it really wasn't any of my…

"Hey, thanks Bulma! You're the best, you know that?" he slapped her back in a friendly gesture, almost causing her to fall over. Goku held his hands up in shock. "Oops, by bad…"

Yes, after all, he was topless at the moment…

I cast a glimpse off to the side as they continued to converse. I was beginning to feel the roll of the 'third wheel', not really being in the loop and all.

So, as they walked towards the Capsule Corp, I slowed my pace until I was behind enough to turn around altogether without being noticed, and jogged towards a small spherically-shaped building that had caught my attention in the background.

As I neared the metal contraption, I could feel that Vegeta was inside. He was putting out an awful amount of energy for someone who was almost killed less than twenty hours ago.

Was he training in there?

When I approached it, I wandered cautiously around the contraption until the door was found.

But instead of entering, I floated up to a small window and peered through. All I could see was scarlet at first glimpse, until I focused my eyes enough to notice that everything was _tinted_ scarlet; there was probably a red lighting system.

I could make out some computer-like machine in the very center of the room. There was also my brother off to the side, throwing lightning fast punches and kicks to the air.

I rapped my knuckles against the glass, hoping I would catch his attention.

He continued to assault his invisible opponent.

I sighed, blowing a bit of my feathery bangs out of my face.

Then, reaching one arm out to the side, I knocked hard on the metal wall. I could hear the resounding noise it made inside, over the loud buzzing the chamber naturally made.

Vegeta froze, his fist in front of him. Then he whipped his head to the side, glaring straight at me, before he straightened and nodded towards the door.

I smirked and allowed myself to fall to the ground, before hurrying up to the entrance and allowing myself in.

It was dark, and the red lighting was creepy to an extent. It highlighted Vegeta's body so that you could see every shadow, and each drop of sweat dripping off of his body.

And he was clad in a simple pair of spandex shorts. And boots.

He made me feel as if _I_ were overdressed. And I was showing most of my torso. Not to mention the giant whole exposing my back.

Vegeta growled as I checked the place out from the doorway. "Well?" he barked, "What do you want?" he curtly demanded.

"You said you wanted to-" I closed the door and took a full step inside.

And then I had a face full of floor.

Vegeta laughed openly at my fall. "You should watch your step next time." I could almost _hear_ his smirk...

Trying hard to ignore my flattened nose, I lifted my arms and was about to push myself up, but it seemed as if the floor was pulling me into it.

I managed to lift my head up, as painful as the action was. "What the hell i-is this?" It felt as if my entire body was being crushed.

Vegeta smirked down at me. "Four hundred fifty times Earth's _regular_ gravity. How is it suiting you?" I caught sight of his boots moving almost casually until he squatted to where I could clearly see his smug expression. His smirk then dropped, and his regular irritated expression returned. "Get up."

I _didn't_ care for his tone...

Little by little, I used my arms to push myself up. When my aching breasts were no longer smashed against the floor, I bent one leg and forced myself up the rest of the way, grunting as I did so.

When I was eventually standing upright, my posture was still slightly hunched. I forced a grin when I faced Vegeta and spoke in a strained tone: "This room—it must be very useful." I grunted again, further straightening out my back. "Once you get used to it."

Vegeta scoffed at my apparent weakness. He didn't care if I was 'used to it' or not. "Come on then—attack me!"

I smirked briefly before nodding. I guess it was show time.

Bending my knees slightly, I found it extremely hard to fit into a proper fighting stance with the artificial gravity bearing down on me. I wasn't even sure if I could execute a punch fast enough to hit Vegeta, despite the fact that he was only an arm's distance away.

Making up my mind, I shot a fist out aimed for my brother's shoulder.

He caught it easily with his opposite hand and squeezed until I bared my teeth at him in pain. "Slow." He pronounced the word as its definition described it to be, much to my chagrin.

I jumped and spun my body around, forcing him to let go as I swung my leg at his head.

He ducked, seemingly nonchalant the whole time.

Was I really moving so slowly? I landed, my feet touching the ground as gently as a falling brick would have.

Vegeta jumped back and laughed tauntingly. "Come on! My great ancestors could probably dodge your attacks after rising out of the grave!"

_Oh_, now he was asking for it… If he wanted to get straight to it, then so be it.

I bent my arms at my sides, tapping into my refreshed energy supply. I could feel my entire body becoming lighter as my ki engulfed me in white flames.

Vegeta fell into a fighting stance, smirking deliberately.

* * *

Trunks stood by the open window in what would be 'his room', his long hair softly teasing his face with the wind's help. "Hey mom?"

"What's up, Trunks?"

"You didn't see Midori come in with us, did you?"

Bulma paused in changing the diaper of her younger son. "Now that you mention it…"

The two were now walking around their vast backyard, seeing as how Trunks could feel out his aunt's energy signal. "Uh-oh."

Bulma folded her arms and rolled her eyes as they stood in front of her father's spaceship. "And here my first impression was that she was _sooo_ unlike her _brother_…"

Trunks snickered when he saw the windows flash white a few times. "They'll come in when they're ready, mom. Then you can get to know her."

Bulma placed one hand on her cheek and the other under her elbow. Sighing, she replied "Sure, okay. I just wonder how those two will interact when it comes to being _normal_."

Trunks shrugged as he turned around. "Who knows. But I do know that you two will get along great." He threw a charming smile over his shoulder before he made his way back inside.

Bulma placed her hands on her hips and tossed a disapproving look at the space craft, before laughing lightly. "Of course we will… I tamed Vegeta, didn't I?" she shook her head, smiling as she followed her son from a different time.

* * *

I snapped my head to the side where the super Saiyan-ed Vegeta appeared out of thin air, one hand poised a short foot away, ready to blast me point blank in the face.

My instincts kicked in, bringing my hand up to stop his attack with one of my own.

Both of our blasts clashed and exploded in a painfully white light, causing the two of us to be blown back, each if us crying out in pain.

I caught my balance and skidded to a halt, one palm flat against the tiled floor, both knees bent low to the ground.

Vegeta did a fast flip and landed on his feet a bit unsteadily.

We were both panting heavily.

I felt something tickle my shoulders, so I reached over to pull my torn sleeve back into place. Each little movement felt like ten people were pulling against me.

Vegeta wiped a bit of sweat from his brow and smirked. "Yes. That's the way! You fight like a _true_ elite warrior!"

I stood up slowly, not because of the gravity, but because I had grown tired. It wouldn't be incorrect to say that I had gotten used to the intense room. I had to—my 'wonderful' brother didn't believe in handicaps.

What was frustrating though, was that we seemed to be at a standstill throughout the whole _three_ hours we had been in here.

I would punch him and he would return it with a kick.

He would block a blow and I would dodge his.

I think he did get in a few more hits than I did, but… it was hard to tell.

Vegeta unexpectedly relaxed into his normal state, his expression losing the tenseness for that of indifference. Without a word he turned on his heel, over to the computer in the room's center. A few button-pressings later, the red lights gave way to regular white lighting.

I squinted my eyes at the abrupt brightness, but was relieved to feel the pressure on my body lift.

Wordlessly, he walked to the exit of the room after slinging a towel over his slick shoulders.

I remained where I was, clueless.

Vegeta stopped with his hand on the door and threw me an irritated glance over his shoulder. "If you wish not to eat, then stay here, by _all_ means."

My eyes widened. "Oh. I'm coming..."

Vegeta allowed me to exit first, like a gentleman would, or maybe because he had to stay behind to shut the lights off in the doorway. All I know is that I felt abnormally light on my way back to Capsule Corp.

…

_"Oh, please! You don't owe me anything! You're part of the family and that means you're going to be living here for a very long, long time!"_

"_Ah, no, Bulma please, how can I-"_

_A sugary sweet voice chirped up, "Oh sweetheart, you really shouldn't worry so much. We want you to stay. It's so lovely having another woman around the house." Bulma's mother was very kind…_

Sigh…_ "Thank you all, so very much." Midori gave a small smile of defeat. What they were offering her was almost unheard of..._

_This time an older man spoke up, removing the smoking pipe from his lips before doing so. "Don't thank us yet. You don't have any clothes, am I correct? Well, that means you have yet to go shopping with Bulma…" he then reached up to pet a small black animal on his shoulder._

_Midori arched an eyebrow at this forewarning._

_Bulma rolled her eyes in a slight frustration "Oh dad, shut it." She then turned to Midori "But he is right. You need some new digs; you can't go around in the same shorts and tank top everyday…" Bulma placed an index finger on her chin as she trailed off in thought._

_Yes, Midori had been loaned some leisurely clothes that Bulma said were loose on herself. But, the blue-haired inventor didn't take into consideration that she was also shorter than the Saiyan woman, and…_

_She weighed about forty pounds of raw muscle _less_ than Midori._

_In the end, it was a _very_ tight fit._

_There was also the 'push up' she wore underneath the top that made her chest look like melons…_

"_Well, I guess we'll just have to get up bright and early tomorrow, now won't we?" Bulma flashed the silent Saiyan a bright smile._

_Midori laughed lightly at the human's persistence. "You're willing to provide me with a whole new wardrobe? What if I were to take advantage of your hospitality and have an orgy of spending?"_

_Bulma laughed humorously at the idea "I highly doubt that; I have more money than I know what to do with!"_

_Midori smiled with a hint of sadness. "I can never thank you enough." She then stood up from the kitchen stool, her face deadly serious "For your kindness, I vow to protect your family for as long as I'm able. You said _I_ was family… and that's all I've ever really wanted." _

_Bulma and her parents watched wordlessly as Midori made her leave, most likely to the room that Trunks had picked out for her._

_There was another moment of silence even after she was out of earshot, then,_

"_Oh my, who does she remind you of, Bulma?"_

_Bulma smiled at her mother's words as reached a hand out to lightly poke her sleeping baby's stomach. "Not Vegeta, that's for sure."_

…

It was nice enough, the room I was staying in. I was never one to complain anyway.

There was a large window on the wall across from the door, to look out of. I liked that, especially since the bed was right there against it. To my right was a quaint office desk complete with a small lamp, stationary, and a small glass container filled with candy.

And instead of a drawer or small closet for the clothes that I didn't even have, there was a large walk-in wardrobe… wow.

'I have to ask Bulma exactly what it is that Capsule Corp _does…_I'm sure Vegeta feels right at home in this dome shaped castle.'

Either way, it was well past bedtime. The sun had set about four or five hours ago. I was the only one that seemed to be wide-awake. With nothing better to do, I'd been sitting on my bed, leaned up against the window with its curtains pulled back.

Earth's night sky was very beautiful. It had a countless measure of stars, and amidst them was the most enchanting moon I'd ever seen.

It was actually the _only_ moon Earth had, and it looked like it should've been full in the near future… I'd have to close the blinds then.

I brought my knees up to my chest so I could lay my arms over my legs, and wrapped my tail around my side, sighing as I did so.

'Twenty-seven hours ago… I was lying on my back, thinking I was never going to see the light of another day. And now I'm—'

My tail twitched as I heard muffled cries from a few doors over.

'And now I'm checking on my infant nephew…'

I smiled at the thought and hopped out of bed, ready to see what was the matter.

The hallway was desolate as I poked my head out.

Quietly closing my room door behind me, I crept down the hallway, my feet "ninja"-like as all they left were a slight impression on the plush carpeting.

I finally stopped at a door where I could feel the baby's presence and entered as quickly as possible so his cries wouldn't wake anyone up.

I stepped forward, and Trunks' cries died down to whimpers as if he'd known someone was finally there.

As I stood with my arms resting over the side of his crib, I was met with small, eerily icy-blue eyes.

The noise had completely stopped now. All that was left to offer sound was a faint swishing of the trees in the wind, and the small sniffles Trunks made as he stared up at me.

The infant's gaze was almost startling; so serious… almost exactly like his older counterpart, but the haunting memories were not present behind the eyes of this young one.

My lips fell to a small frown as I stared down at the small boy in the crib. "Trunks… what's wrong?" I whispered so lightly that it could have blended in with the blowing trees, or maybe even his breathing.

The room flashed white for a moment—lightning—a storm still in the distance, making its way closer.

In that moment, I could have sworn… I could have _sworn_ on my _life_, that his baby blue eyes had turned charcoal, and his few wisps of lavender hair had changed color as well, and fell past his tiny shoulders.

In the time it took me to blink, and the lightning to flash again, I was no longer seeing things.

I eased myself away from the crib, step by step, until my hands that were clasped around the crib's frame stopped me from retreating any further.

What had that been? Why was I seeing…?

"Just what exactly do you think you're doing in here?" a rough, demanding voice ripped me from my thoughts, also earning a small gasp.

I turned to face my brother, my lips still slightly parted, my hands somewhat shaking on the metal bars within their grasp.

He stood by the door, which was already closed (I didn't even notice him come in…), wearing just a pair of silky maroon boxers.

"Vegeta… I—" As I looked down again at Trunks, I was slightly shocked to see that he was sleeping, heavily, as if he'd not been awake in the first place. He had even rolled over onto his stomach.

I shook my head slightly, finally pushing myself away from the child's bed, to face Vegeta. "I heard him crying from my room. No one was awake, so I came to check—"

"Impossible." Vegeta's eyes narrowed at me through the darkness.

I mirrored his expression, not fond of having been interrupted. "How so?"

Vegeta's strict stare turned into a glare. "My room is right next door, and I heard no such sound. I'm only awake because _you_ were stumbling around doing who knows what." He was at least thoughtful enough to keep his voice low for his son's sake. "Believe me when I say that the whole damn _building_ would have known if he were awake."

My mind briefly went back to what I had seen when the lightning flashed earlier. "Vegeta…" I stared at the floor for a moment, jaw slack, not sure if he would want to hear what I had to say. "I have to get something _very_ important off my chest. Do you mind?"

My older sibling stalked over to a rocking chair just to the side of the only window in the room and plopped down on it, folding his arms securely over his chest. He must have recognized that he was in for a long story. He then grunted slightly as he closed his eyes, before speaking: "I could sense something was amiss when I walked in. This better be worth it... I'm missing out on my beauty sleep." He grumbled the last part.

I brought my gaze to the floor again and sighed. I really didn't want to talk about this, but… "Yeah…" I knew it would be better if I got it off of my chest. 'It's been seven years, after all.'

Vegeta cracked one eye open as he frowned, waiting for an explanation.

I finally faced him, not intending to keep him waiting any longer. "There was one thing I didn't mention to you the other day… Vegeta, the reason I finally decided to try and leave Broly all those years ago, was because… he _killed_ our young son…" I felt a cold chill take hold of my body as it thundered outside, the storm finally having reached us. I inhaled slowly, exhaling shakily.

Both of Vegeta's eyes snapped open as he stared at me in bewilderment and rage. "_What?"_ I could tell he was fighting between feeling amazed that I had bore a child with the man, and being outraged that Broly had done away with his own son, which would have been Vegeta's nephew.

I bowed my head as Vegeta began a hushed rant. "What kind of Saiyan father in their right mind would kill his own son? _Gah!_ Insane _bastard!_" he gripped the arm of the rocker with one hand so hard, that I heard a distinct cracking of wood as he waved the other hand about angrily.

Trunks began to stir, successfully silencing Vegeta in that instant. It was obvious that he wanted to avoid being in the presence of his crying son.

It was understandable why he was so upset, though. A male Saiyan considered his son to be the most prideful thing they would ever have—especially their first-born.

It was appalling to Vegeta to hear what I had told him. The only cases of a man killing his son in our culture were if there was some disease or extreme disability at birth, or if the boy had betrayed his father in the most unthinkable way. At least that's what Paragus taught me...

At that, I silently wondered why he was so disrespectful toward his own son…

I sighed heavily and leaned one side of my body against the wall. "But, _Vegeta_…" I started in a heavy tone. "I don't think I've been able to grieve his death the way I've wanted to…" I turned my gaze to my somber brother, who still had his regular deep frown and light glare.

"I've kept a lot of my feelings bottled up over the last seven years, and every time I see a child, or a baby… I start imagining what was… or what could have been." I sighed and moved to the side a bit until I was standing in front of an oval-shaped mirror, hung decoratively on the room's pastel wall. Even in the darkness of midnight, I could see that I had paled visibly.

"I thought I heard Trunks crying… when I came… he was still whining, but… he just stared at me. Then I thought he was _my_ son…" I took a deep breath, trying to calm my nerves. "When you came in, he was sleeping as if nothing had ever woken him."

Vegeta was quiet for a few seconds until he 'hmphed' and stood from the abused rocker. "It's obvious you have some sort of complex that you're dealing with." He let his arms fall to his sides. "I would too, after living with a maniac like _Broly._"

My eyes scanned the carpet as I listened to Vegeta's almost indifferent tone. 'Not really what I wanted to hear…'

"So _grieve_, little sister."

I looked up at Vegeta in a confused manner, my fidgeting hands having found the tip of my tail.

"_Mourn_. Get _angry_. Take it out on somebody! I can see you've been dying to…" he allowed a small smirk as he trailed off.

One corner of my mouth rose for a second, before falling again. I assumed that this was his way of comfort; an invitation to let off some steam. "Tomorrow—after I've finished my business with your mate." I could tell that he wanted to further test me.

Vegeta did nothing to show that he agreed or understood, just simply stared hard at my slumped figure in a long silence.

I glanced in his direction, before turning away. "Goodnight… brother."

I could feel his gaze on my back from the entire distance of the crib to the door, until I was left alone in the hallway outside.

For a whole minute I stood there, and Vegeta's energy was just as still as mine.

Was he waiting for me to leave?

_Paragus simply smirked at Midori's heated remark. "You're maternal instincts are second to none, my dear…"_

I smiled slightly at my realization. 'Vegeta… _your_ paternal instincts are second to none.' I finally made my way to bed.

* * *

'Let's see… six jeans, five shorts… eleven shirts… and seven sets of bras and panties. Oh, and let's not forget my six pairs of shoes that Trunks is carrying for me.'

I hid my smirk well behind my 'chocolate shake' as I took a sip, watching Trunks sweat as he stood next to me.

Finally feeling bad for the boy, I spoke up: "Trunks, let me carry some of those bags, _really_."

The teen had to crane his neck over the load in his arms to make eye contact. "No! I'm fine! Besides, you're already carrying like_ five_ bags."

I stared incredulously. "And you're carrying…" I paused to scan his entire body. "Well, I lost count around seventeen."

Trunks gave up on balancing the array of bags and boxes in his hands (and arms… and knees) and fell onto a plush chair just behind him. The entire haul fell into a heap around his feet.

I crossed my legs and smirked, already seated next to him.

"Man, this is rough. Super Saiyan or not… _ugh_." He rubbed his forehead as he sunk further into the chair.

Spotting a trashcan about sixty feet away, I shot my now empty cup at it. Two seconds later it landed in with a satisfying s_wish_.

A few of the people that had witnessed this scurried away, casting awed glances as they left.

"Okay you guys, how do I look?"

We both turned our heads as Bulma stepped out of her dressing room to model for us.

The dress was simple yet attractive—form fitting, reaching to mid thigh with no sleeves and a mock-neck. It was a solid forest green color.

Trunks seemed hesitant. "Um, it looks nice I guess."

"I think it compliments your figure, Bulma. The color is nice, too."

"Thanks!" Bulma smiled and performed a small twirl before examining herself in a nearby mirror. "Trunks just doesn't want to say anything because I'm his _mom_."

Trunks blushed and lowered his head. "Well _yeah_. The words that come to mind for that dress aren't things I'd want to use to describe my mother!"

I chuckled softly as Bulma scoffed.

"Way to be open-minded, _son_."

Trunks sighed heavily as he pushed his unruly bangs aside. "So, what's next?"

I could tell he was trying to be polite, instead of asking _how much longer are you two going to treat me like a pack-mule?_

We'd been at the Mall for over four hours, after all.

Bulma was back in her fitting room as she called out "We still have to get _you_ some dresses, missy."

I nodded towards the door concealing her. "Okay." I then turned to Trunks and reached out, placing a hand on his shoulder. "My offer is still up."

But before he could answer, his mother was out and holding several dresses before me.

"I think darker colors suit you. So I got some blues and blacks, and I think there's a purple one here… But that's just my opinion." She waved a hand and shrugged.

Standing up, I took the dresses and smiled reassuringly. "No. I think you have great taste, Bulma."

She smirked and slapped my left shoulder playfully. "You know, all you ever do is agree with me and compliment me left and right. I wish Vegeta could be _just_ like you!"

I smirked and shook my head slightly as I entered the small room containing a bench and a full body mirror.

…

I was startled when I walked out of the small room to be greeted by a loud whistle.

Apparently Trunks was too.

"_Mom._"

"Oh hush!" she then clapped her hands together, beaming at me. "That's what I call _sexy!_"

My eyes widened as I was taken by surprise yet again. "Oh really?"

It was the third dress in the pile, and the first to fit so far.

The article of clothing was black, with off-the-shoulder long sleeves. It reached just a few inches above my knees and had four-inch long slits on each side.

It _was_ rather becoming… I just hadn't expected the woman to agree so enthusiastically.

I inspected myself in the mirrors provided, smiling slightly. The last time I'd worn something this feminine, I was seventeen and marooned on a gypsy planet with the two men I'd spent most of my life with.

Of course, this dress wasn't nearly as revealing as some of the things the natives had me wearing back then…

"Uh-oh you guys…"

Still using the mirror, I shifted my gaze to Bulma.

She clipped her small cellular device back onto the waist of her pants. "Looks like I'm needed back at home, a-sap. We're going to have to pay for that and hit the road," She announced, genuinely disappointed.

I nodded, showing that I understood. 'I'm not complaining, though…'

…

Trunks had not brought up my ability to teleport, so I kept quiet on our flight back to West City. Truthfully, I'd found it rather relaxing traveling in the small jet, above the bodies of water and mountain ranges separating Central City from our destination.

The whole back of the vehicle was a plethora of multi-colored bags and boxes, of all shapes and sizes. It reminded me of an enlarged mountain of sweets, just waiting for some small group of children to come pick it apart.

The ride was silent; Bulma concentrating on driving, Trunks resting his eyes, and me, merely watching the Earth go by.

'This planet has to be the richest with color I've ever seen…' We were flying very close to the water now. The passenger window was just two or three yards from the water's surface. It sparkled and sloshed in a magnificent medley of crystal blues, whites, and yellows reflected from the aircraft.

'… What are those shadows? Some kind of giant fish, maybe?' There were at least five of them, and suddenly a whole pack of gray, fish-like creatures surfaced, jumping in and out of the water. They were following us.

"Hey, you guys won't mind if I have the radio going, will you?"

I shook my head, not really paying attention as Trunks made a short grunt.

Bulma, not being able to turn around to see us, gave a short laugh. "I'll take that as a 'no'." there were clicking sounds and static as she toyed with the radio.

I felt Trunks slide closer until his legs bumped mine. "Do you know what those are?" he was also looking at the long creatures with their lengthy snouts, scale-less bodies, and thick fins.

"No." I glanced over my shoulder. "They must be fish though, right?"

Trunks pushed his long hair back as he smiled "Yeah. They're called dolphins."

"Dolphins… They're gorgeous." I concluded, eyes locked onto their shimmering, lithe figures.

"Yeah, they're considered one of the smartest animals, and they're _really_ playful." He went on to explain more scientific facts about the species.

I smiled softly as the swimming animals fell into the distance, my heart fluttering.

Finally, Bulma finished searching for music and a song began playing.

"Oh, I _love_ this song!"

_**Back on the road again, feelin' kinda lonely and**_

_**Lookin' for the right guy, to be mine.**_

Trunks scooted back across the seat and sighed. "How could I ever forget _this_ song?"

I threw him a questioning look.

He leaned in slightly so he wouldn't be heard. "She plays this song _all the time_. It's her favorite. Even in the _future_…"

I nodded, letting out a silent 'Oh'.

_**Maybe we'll meet at a bar, he'll drive a funky car**_

_**Maybe we'll meet at a club, and fall so deeply in love**_

It was definitely a bouncy song… I could see why she liked it.

_**He'll tell me I'm the one, and we'll have so much fun**_

_**I'll be the girl of his dreams, maybe…**_

The volume suddenly increased, causing Trunks to groan.

_**Alright maybe, gonna find him today, **_

**_I gotta get someone to call my lover, yeah baby come on_**

I found myself tapping my foot and ever-so-slightly nodding my head as the song progressed.

'Yeah. The perfect man… That would be something.'

The tempo of the song and the lyrics allowed me to picture the perfect guy.

He would be cute, have a sense a humor, and know how to have fun… know how to treat his girl…

_**My my, lookin' for a guy guy, I don't want him too shy**_

_**But he's gotta have that qualities**_

_**That I like in a man,**_

_**Strong, smart, affectionate—**_

Kind of like…

A wide grin flashed momentarily in my mind. A smile so innocent, that you would have to question the motives behind it. 'Kind of like him…'

I shook my head and sighed.

_**He's gotta be all for me**_

_**And I'll be too you see—**_

**_Happily~!_**

'I wouldn't feel right with anyone else, though. Evil or not, Broly was my mate… If I can just live and spar with my brother for the rest of my long life, then that will be enough... '

_**Alright baby, gonna find him today, **_

_**I gotta get someone to call my lover, yeah baby come on**_

_**Alright baby come in, pass my way**_

_**I gotta get someone to call my lover, yeah baby come on**_

I leaned back into my seat and closed my eyes. We still had about thirty minutes left until we reached home.

'Home… that sounds nice.'

* * *

**/A.N./**

**For some odd reason, I thought I had posted this chapter. Then I thought: _Well, it's been long enough, I can post chapter 7 now..._**

**That was before I noticed there was no six 0o**


	7. A Side Quest With Goku

**Chapter 7: Good old fashion Saiyan grief counseling, interrupted by a last minute quest for the dragon balls!**

**Okay let's go over the basics: Thanks to all faves/watches (srsly- over 500 hits, too :D) and no, I do not own Dragon Ball Z. Come on.**

**Chapter 7~**

* * *

"Get out of my way, woman!"

"What part of _no_ don't you understand?!"

Making myself comfortable against a nearby wall, I waited patiently for the fireworks to end.

"Vegeta, my dad still hasn't had enough time to fix the gravity room from _yesterday!_" Really, you would think the two were enemies. "Now you go find something else to keep you busy—_Got it?_ Cuz We're just about tired of fixing this thing _every other day!_"

Vegeta growled loudly (the display bordering childish) to show his frustration before spinning on his heel and pushing roughly past me. "Then stop wasting time and get to work!" he finally bit back.

Bulma let out a similar noise as she hastily pulled on some latex gloves. "The nerve of that man!"

I turned away from her, catching a small glint that was my brother fading into the skyline, and a tiny laugh escaped me. As verbally aggressive as that display had been, I could see the attraction; the way he looked her up and down before he turned away... heh.

"Thank you again for today, Bulma. I'll beat some sense into Vegeta for you," I offered, patting the imaginary dust off of my shoulder. "Maybe then he'll show you a little more respect."

Bulma gave a short, cruel laugh. "I wish I could be there to see that. You have at him, girl!" Her fist pumped the air as I retreated across the expansive lawn.

I broke out into a run as I reached the sidewalk and blasted off seconds later.

Vegeta already had a good three-mile lead, but I was gaining on him fast. Logic told me that he was searching for a proper training ground. For the next minute, my eyes devoured the blurry landscape until my brother was flanked at my right. After a few more minutes of silent flight, we finally found ourselves floating above a mountain range. The canyons beneath were filled with mist, so all that was visible were the thin, jagged tops of the massive rock-formations.

I tugged at the black track shorts and adjusted the matching tank top I was wearing as Vegeta flexed his arms. "I'm assuming there are no rules. We're out in the middle of nowhere; nobody can get hurt…" This was going to be _fun_.

Vegeta bent his arms slightly, but made no move. "First you must tell me about the child."

I stared at him for a moment. "Okay." I was then silent, waiting for his first question.

"Whom did the boy take after?"

My head tilted to the side. "Physically speaking, he took after his father. But even in his young age we could tell he had my tendencies."

"What was his name?"

"It was Lattice…"

"And just _how_ powerful was he?"

My face changed from passive to slightly dubious. Did that really matter? "He was only three at the time, but he had a power level of about… five thousand." I struggled to remember the numbers that our only scouter had shown all those years ago.

Vegeta turned his gaze to the horizon, his mind perhaps working to create an image of his late nephew. "He would have made an excellent warrior. He was of royal blood and otherworldly heritage." His lips turned up into a smirk. "I would have loved to take a crack at the boy."

I chuckled at his words, taking the opportunity to change the subject. "Yes, I'm sure you would have. But that's what _I'm_ here for." My tone turned serious as I readied myself, blocking out any distractions, all senses trained solely on the man in front of me.

Vegeta mirrored my actions, arms tense, eyes narrowed.

For a whole minute we stood still... just levitating above the mountains. We drank in each other's posture, searching for unguarded areas; weaknesses. Simply waiting for the other to make the first move…

I took that moment to grin. "I think my eyes are getting more of a workout right now than anything else," I commented, eyes remaining un-blinked for a whole minute.

…An invitation in the least.

In a flash Vegeta was before me throwing lightning fast punches that made the air itself give a high-pitched whistle. I narrowly dodged each of them, and he could see this as he smirked cruelly through his flurry of fists.

Spotting an opening, I ducked low and swung a leg out to knock him off his balance.

At the last second he jumped to avoid it and kicked back, aiming for my chest. His knee landed square over my sternum as the rest of his leg sent me rocketing backwards.

The wind was as loud as a scream as my body flew through the sky, drowning out my exclamation of pain. I cracked an eye open, and through the blurriness and fog I could hardly tell if Vegeta was there or not. Not a moment later, two boots slammed into my back with an unforgiving force. I was now soaring into the sky.

'_Shit_—he's not just warming up!' Vegeta teleported above me, hands locked together, poised to smash into my stomach. I had to react. _Pronto_.

His hands came down, but not into me; an after-image!

"_What?_"

I quickly powered up, catching my brother by surprise. He didn't have time to move as I lunged at him from the right, my fist connecting with his cheek like a wrecking ball to a building.

This time he was the one sent flying… into a mountain. Rocks crumbled and fell on top of him, but I knew that it was nothing for Vegeta. I waited for a moment as the dust settled. My tail twitched as his energy signal sparked… but remained relatively the same. 'What is he doing down there?' That's when I saw a flash of red.

"_GALICK GUN!_"

My eyes reflected the hiccup in my chest.

Reacting swiftly, I held my hands out as the purple beam approached me. "Here goes!" My hands began glowing. "_Chiakho—HA!_" A stream of blue energy shot forth and met head-on with the ray of fuchsia that sought to burn me to a crisp.

The collision sent vibrations through my hands and arms, but was the least of my problems.

I grunted heavily against the strain of holding off my brother's signature attack. My eyes were squinted; the standstill of energy waves fluctuated between bright and blinding every few seconds, to the point that it almost made the broad daylight seem like the oncoming night.

I forced myself forward, blue steadily consuming purple. Vegeta's blast suddenly gave way much faster than it should have, causing me to lurch forward and send and overly powered up attack into the mountains bellow.

'Damn!' I paled as the ground exploded in a flashy display of violet energy. It would have been beautiful, the light show, if not for the circumstances.

I turned around, pinpointing my target above me. "I could have blown a hole through this planet, you know!" If I'd been up a few dozen—maybe a hundred more feet, I'd be dodging geysers of molten lava… "You shouldn't have done that!" I gestured towards the gaping hole in the ground many meters below us that was once an entire mountain.

'Vegeta sure has a way of testing one's strength...'

My brother floated by, indifferent to the gaping crater staring up at us (he must have calculated the damage beforehand), as if it had been there all along. "Well you didn't, so let it go already and fight me!" He powered up a less lethal blast and chucked it at me, momentarily streaking the air with yellow.

I deflected it with one hand and caught Vegeta's fist with the other. 'Smart move, brother.' He had used the blast to distract me as he'd closed in.

Then there was my mistake. I should have attacked; instead I held on to his fist and smirked, allowing Vegeta to reach out and grasp the hand that held his, trapping me as he unexpectedly powered up to his super form. I squinted again as his flame-like aura lashed out at me. Another mistake. As I stiffened up, this gave him the perfect opportunity to seize my arm with both of his hands and throw me over his shoulder.

At least I managed to catch myself before I was sent crashing into the rocks, and send a blast of my own his way.

Vegeta knocked it aside, his momentum going unhindered as he charged straight at me.

I flew at him as well, one fist positioned above my head. Just as we were an arm's length from each other, both of us struck out.

I gasped as my head snapped to the right; a gloved fist planted firmly in its left side.

Vegeta grunted; his face also turned away from the impact of my own hand.

We both slowly pulled away, Vegeta smirking as he rubbed his jaw, me testing the hinges of my own. Wordlessly, we attacked each other again: his foot in my stomach—my knee in his.

The prince managed an odd cackle through his coughing as I sputtered, having nearly had the wind knocked out of me.

He grabbed my knee with both of his hands. "This…"

I clasped my hands around his ankle. "Is perfect," I finished, smirking playfully. I gave a great shove, him doing the same to put distance between the two of us.

And did it _ever_ feel good. This was what I'd always _wanted_. 'I guess it's just Saiyan nature.' To have my once estranged _brother_ of all people beating the pants off of me, and being able to return the favor. Our power levels seemed to be nearly the same. That's what made it the perfect challenge.

I hadn't been able to do this in years. 'Since Paragus was still my teacher…' I had eventually outgrown the man, and Broly's power nearly doubled with every passing year. I could never have a decent fight.

'But wait…' my eyes widened slightly. 'Vegeta is a super Saiyan. Does that mean at his base level I'm stronger than him?'

There was a great deal of distance between us now. I could tell what was on his mind. We would see who the stronger one was right there and then.

I brought my hands up before me. "Let's do this the right way!"

He returned my comment with a devilish smirk as he raised his hands above his head, "Galick gun…" then brought them down to one side of his chest.

I quickly channeled energy to my hands. "Chiakho-"

"_FIRE!_"

"_HAAA!_"

The two beams raced forward.

At that moment, something tickled my senses; something orange that had popped out of thin air between the paths of the attacks. 'What is—'

There was a high-pitched scream as the blasts were a mere second from collision.

I hastily let go of my ki.

Vegeta must have known something was wrong, as his blast lost its power and both waves dissipated the moment they met, a few sparks and glinting lights having their last show before fading away.

I waited silently until t was safe to look, to prove my assumptions right. 'What is _he_—'

There was a low whistle and our gazes lifted upwards.

"Oh man, I almost got my head blown off!" Goku wiped his forehead, brushing aside his blonde bangs. He too, I wondered why, was in super form…

Vegeta's face went from shock to outrage in a heartbeat. "_KAKAROT!_ Go interrupt somebody else's training! Unless you've coem to get a beating, go home!"

His eyes widened a great deal. "You guys… call _this_ training? What if you destroyed the ball?" he held up his hands and shook them for emphasis.

I flew up to meet him face to face so I wouldn't have to yell. "Goku, what are you doing here? What are you talking about?" I noticed he was clutching a small device that beeped every other second, an orange dot flashing on its round screen.

He blinked and scratched his head. "Uh, well, before I left to go into outer space, I'd been searching for the dragon balls. Ours kinda died out when the Earth's guardian fused with Piccolo." He pulled out an orange marble about the size of his fist. "But now we have a new guardian who reawakened them, so we can wish all the people Cell has killed back to life."

The beauty of the crystal distracted me from his last statement; I noted it was marked with three red stars.

I stared harder at the semi-translucent ball in front of me. "Dragon balls… I've heard of them from somewhere…" An elder on Yardrat who studied foreign mythology had once mentioned them.

Seven mystical balls that had the power to grant wishes…

My heartbeat picked up and I did a double-take as the spherical item shimmered in the brilliant sunlight. I couldn't believe I was actually looking at… a _dragon ball!_ They were _real!_

Goku brightened up a bit, his turquoise eyes shining in the sunlight as well. "Hey, I have an idea!"

Vegeta growled in annoyance. "_Oh_, that's just _wonderful!_" he then turned around with a huff and powered down to his regular form.

Shaking off my shock, I folded my arms over my chest, looking back down at Vegeta who had neglected to actually come up to talk. "Brother, are you going back?"

Vegeta clenched his fists, but did not face us as he spoke. "Of course I'm going back! I know that whenever that clown opens his mouth, there's _no_ stopping whatever goes into motion!" He hastily took off, leaving a fading jet stream and the two of us behind him. In seconds he was a minute sparkle in the distance.

"Ah…" I faced Goku again. "I should go back with him… I do wish you a happy hunting, though."

Goku's bright demeanor dropped like a ton of bricks, almost startling me with the sudden emotional contrast. "But… don't you wanna hear my idea?" he sounded so pitiful, too.

I gave a short, nervous laugh before coughing briefly. "Of course, my apologies. What did you have on your mind?" Hopefully nothing to justify my brother's retreat...

He grinned sheepishly and I smiled back reassuringly, secretly adoring the look on his face.

"Well, I know I said I would do this alone… But with the whole school meeting with Chichi, and the Broly thing…" he was scratching the back of his head again.

I raised an eyebrow at his words, and he stopped once he'd realized he was rambling.

"There's not much time left until Cell's tournament, and I'd _really_ like it if you could help me find the other dragon balls before it's too late."

I nodded slowly, contemplating his proposal. 'I could get to know the infamous Kakarot.' Finally, "Sure. I could use something interesting in my spare time." I answered with a small grin.

"Alright!" he then pocketed the dragon ball and held out the small device from before. "This a Dragon radar: see that? There's a ball nearby."

I nodded, assuming that the small triangle was Goku and the orange dot (that was only a centimeter away on the screen) was the ball.

There was a sudden updraft and my eyes shifted around. "Goku… why don't you find this one on your own. I'll be right back." I had to dress appropriately if I was going to be searching for these things.

He blinked, seemingly clueless. "Why? What's wrong?"

I laughed softly at his expression, "I have to change." gesturing towards my skimpy attire. They were dirty, and I had broken out into a light sweat in my short-lived training session.

Goku placed one hand on his hip and rubbed the back of his head with the other. "If you say so. I really don't mind the way you look now."

"Of course you don't." I mumbled, rolling my eyes.

He must not have caught my drift, because he just shrugged and smiled. "Nope."

I quickly scanned his outfit. "Hmm…" Yellow slacks, a white tee, and an orange and black jacket. 'I think I can come up with something similar…'

"You start looking. I'll be back in _ten_." I held up both of my hands, flexing all ten fingers to stress it.

I teleported away before he could open his mouth to say anything else.

Back in Capsule Corp, I found myself in the foyer that lead to the sleeping quarters. I rushed up the spiral staircase and made my way down the hall where my bedroom was. 'Vegeta probably isn't back yet.' I glanced at his door as I passed by.

…

Powering up briefly, all water instantly evaporated from my body. 'Who needs towels?'

"So much for dressing appropriately…" I stared down at the clothes laid out on my bed. "If we run into any cold weather, it'll be the end of me." I shrugged, grabbing the tights first.

After I was all dressed, I could have just concentrated and transmitted back to Goku, but I decided to walk out of the impressive building first. It must have been some divine intervention, because…

"Hey, Midori. You're changed again, I see. And back early."

I halted and turned to face my nephew. "Yes, after Goku interrupted our match, I promised I would help him locate the dragon balls. I couldn't go and fly around in short-shorts and a scanty top, now could I?" I smirked, knowing very well that my current outfit was almost just as bad.

Trunks gave an incredulous laugh. "Seriously? Have you looked in the mirror?"

I rolled my eyes. "I have tights on under my shorts. And I have a jacket on over this top, _young man_."

Trunks shook his head. "I get it. That's my cue to stop harassing you because I have _no_ say in what my adult aunt wears."

I nodded in approval. "That's right…" My eyes unconsciously closed as I concentrated for a moment, then opened again when I'd found what I was looking for. "Okay, I'll see you tomorrow, or the day after." I gave a short wave as my surroundings disappeared before reappearing as the familiar mountain range.

"Oh, there you are." Goku smiled brightly at my arrival. He was sitting on a small ledge with the dragon radar in his lap. "Heeey, nice outfit!" he laughed lightly in amusement.

I placed my hands in the pockets of my jacket and grinned as I floated closer to him. "I thought it would be nice if we matched."

We seemed to have a similar color scheme going: I wore pale yellow tights under _very_ short, black jean shorts, a yellow tube top, and an orange jacket that happened to be the same style as his. My tennis shoes were black as well.

The jacket was kept unzipped, so my whole torso was open for the world to see. My shorts (and every other pair of pants I got) were classified as 'low riders' so I wouldn't have to cut a hole for my tail.

I placed a hand on my bare stomach and idly rubbed it, feeling the slight curves of my abs. "Did you find another one?"

Goku stuck his hands into a hidden pocket in his jacket a produced one with a single star. "Yep." That made four.

The dragon radar began beeping loudly, catching our attention.

I moved closer to him and leaned over his shoulder to get a better look at the small machine. 'They're moving.' I concluded, seeing two small objects on the screen ascend at a rather fast rate.

Goku cocked his head to the side. "Oh, wow. How do like that? Two dragon balls are moving at once." He turned his head slightly to make eye contact. "Somebody must have beat me to 'em."

I stood up and placed a hand on his shoulder. "Let's go." I then held the hand out for him to grab.

Goku nodded and smiled, pulling himself up. "Okay—this way." He turned to his left.

We both flew in the direction specified, Goku occasionally looking down at his radar to make sure we were on track. The silence following was not an awkward one. We merely enjoyed the scenery, and neither of us had spoken a word in the last fifteen minutes or so.

'Oh, that's right. I almost forgot to ask…' Keeping my eyes ahead of me, I spoke, "Goku, I meant to ask you earlier, why have you taken that form? You're not fighting anyone, so why bother?"

Goku laughed lightly and slowed his pace up a bit (the beeping on the dragon radar had also slowed; they had probably stopped moving.). "Well, I've gotten used to moving around this way all the time now. That way when I fight Cell, I won't have to worry about powering up so much."

I finally turned my head to face him. "That's a very interesting idea. I've also been meaning to ask someone about this _Cell_ person."

Goku slowed his pace a great deal, eventually coming to a halt. I stopped a second later, a few feet away. "We're right on top of them."

I glanced down, squinting through the clouds that blurred everything beneath. "In that building, I'm assuming?"

"Yeah, I guess so."

…

"That's what I call a _big_ door."

We stood before a rather plain, albeit _enormous_ building. It sort of resembled a fortress of ancient times, made of stone, minus the steel doors.

There was complete silence until a strange noise emitted from Goku's jacket, causing me to glance down. His pockets were glowing. "Hey… look." I poked his side to catch his attention.

He jumped slightly, murmuring something about being ticklish. "Huh?" he pulled one ball out; it was flashing a yellow hue. "That's odd."

I quirked an eyebrow at the occurrence. "Why? What does that mean?"

Goku caressed the surface of the ball with his thumb as he stared at it. "They do that when most, or all seven of them have been collected." He looked up at the towering doors of the stronghold before us. "I'll bet they're in here for sure."

Nodding, I took a step forward. "I feel a few weak energies inside, but I doubt they've noticed us."

"You think so?" he frowned slightly.

Out of nowhere, the giant doors slid open, revealing a pitch-black hallway.

We exchanged glances.

The super Saiyan leaned forward from his spot. "_Hello?_" he finally walked up to the entrance and peered through. "Is anybody home?" of course, the shrouded hallway lacked a response.

He faced me and shrugged. "It's safe."

I moved to his side and leaned in as well. Even with my enhanced vision I could barely see thirty feet in. I doubted he could, either. "I don't know… Seems a bit funny." Just because the energies I had sensed were weak, didn't mean that they wouldn't pose a threat…

He placed a warm hand on the bare small of my back (the jacket was actually quite short), just above my tail and gave a gentle push. "You're okay. Besides, I'm here." He smiled brightly.

"Huh— Uh, yes… Okay." I adverted my gaze to the ground. Unknown to him, that small touch caused my tail to twitch and curl up, and a tiny shiver to crawl up my spine.

He finally took his first step inside, calling out "Well, we're comin' in now!"

…

The only thing accompanying us in the dark tunnel was the echo of our footsteps.

I sighed heavily "Goku, how long have we been walking down this—" I stopped and stared as hundreds of spears appeared out the walls on both sides of us. 'Well _damn_…'

"Huh?" The blonde stopped as well, eyes large.

I heard a distinctive _click_ in the background and immediately put a barrier around us.

Goku blinked in surprise as several dozen spikes shot out and hit my invisible barrier, ricocheting off of it and falling harmlessly to the floor with a _clank_. "Thanks, Dori." He bent over and picked one up for me to examine. "Wow… these things are sharp."

I let the shield down and grunted. "You don't say."

He smiled appreciatively in response. "If it weren't for you, we could have gotten hurt."

I laughed out loud at that one. "Don't mention it; but our clothes were the only things in danger, really."

He laughed as well, tossing the spear over his shoulder carelessly. "Yeah, I guess you're right."

A minute of walking later…

"Are we there yet?" I interlocked my fingers above my head as he played with the dragon radar, zooming in to get a better perspective of the distance left.

"Hey, we're _really_ close."

"How close?"

"Like…" he brought his gaze up and pointed to a suddenly visible door, straight ahead. "Over there, close."

I smirked and grabbed a hold of his closest forearm. "Then, come on." I pulled him the rest of the way, not stopping until I had pushed through the door standing between two of the balls and us.

"Uh…"

"I don't see them, Goku."

A small, overweight man spoke up with a strange accent, startling us out of our confusion. "Don't just stand there!" he exclaimed. "Please, come in." A pair of dark shades and a wide brimmed hat hid most of his pudgy face.

Strange… I hadn't even noticed the man behind that desk.

Goku let out a tiny gasp.

Curiously, I followed his gaze and saw the two glossy orbs sitting on the table just before the man. 'Well I'll be damned.'

Goku grinned and advanced without the slightest hesitation. "Yeah! Now I've got 'em!"

'Well,' I smiled, 'That was easy…'

The midget behind the desk in the pinstriped suit smirked. "Wouldn't you know, I was about to say da same thing," he murmured, trailing off in a sinister tone that only I seemingly caught.

Alarms were now going off in my head. "Hold on, Goku—"

An older man with a long raven braid, wearing a mask and pink outfit appeared out of nowhere and stood between Goku and the desk. "Now just give up the dragon balls nice and slow, and then go away!" he smirked. "Or this is going to get _very_ ugly!"

The light-hearted Saiyan merely smiled. "Hey! General Tao, is that you?"

I furrowed my eyebrows, remaining silent. I'd let him handle this one… but there was something awfully shady about both of the men before us.

"Pardon?" the 'general' stood stock still, his arms folded neatly behind his back.

Goku pointed at himself. "Remember me? My name's Goku."

"Go…ku?"

The mentioned man took a step forward, still grinning as if he'd been reunited with a long lost friend. "We've had our differences, but it's good to see you again!" he sounded genuinely sincere toward the lanky, pink-clad man.

I almost laughed as what looked like binoculars protruded out of the man's mask (where his eyes would be), then retracted a few seconds later. 'Is it just me, or is this guy sweating?'

"Why me? Why?" his voice had gone up a few pitches.

Two suited thugs approached Goku.

I openly scoffed; I thought something like this would happen. "I would watch yourselves, men. You don't know what you're getting into." I walked up to Goku and placed a hand on his shoulder, the other on my hip.

There was a low chuckle, but neither of the guys seemed to be doing it.

I looked down. It was the small man that had been seated behind the desk. He suddenly hopped around one side of Goku's legs, looking from side to side, as if he'd lost something. What was he… like two feet tall? He barely reached Goku's knees!

The midget straightened and smirked. "But first, you'll tell me where you've hidden your chicken. That's right, I know you have one."

We exchanged another glance.

"Chicken?" Goku twisted around to look behind him. "Where?"

"Don't play dumb!" the little man exclaimed, "The one with the frying pan!"

I stared down at the man indignantly. "What in the world are you talking about?" What was a _chicken?_

"Is this chicken like a pet of yours?" My companion was just as clueless as I was.

'That man looks like he's going to explode. Or cry…'

Finally someone decided to speak up: "Stop confusin' him!" Thug number one lunged at Goku, grabbing for his pockets. "Just give us your dragon balls!"

"Hey, wait!" Goku barely lifted his hand in defense and sent the man flying into a wall, leaving cracks in the cement.

I snickered quietly, patting Goku on the back. "Watch yourself now, Goku."

"Yeah…" he examined his hand. "I should really learn not to use that much power."

I looked up just as thug number two pointed a gun in our direction and fired. The startling _BANG_ must have been the worst of it.

The bullet was traveling fast, but not fast enough. I reached out and caught it. All it left was a slight itch in the palm of my hand. "Well, would you look at this…?" I held it for Goku to see, dropping it after he was done looking.

The man who fired the round stumbled back a bit. "They're some kind of monsters!"

As Goku moved to the side to apologize to the man he'd hit, there was a sudden uproar of panic. The only silent ones remaining in the room were the General and I.

I tossed a disturbed look towards all the men who were scrambling over to the table with the dragon balls. Cowards. Did they really think Goku was out to hurt them?

'Apparently, if they're closing themselves under a glass dome.' I frowned deeply at the display and lifted my own hand up, mimicking the shape of a handgun. "Let's see how they like my bullet…" the tip of my index finger heated up sharply as it became concentrated with ki. If they were aiming to kill for those dragon balls, then it was only fair if I played along with their little game.

"No, don't!" Goku rushed to my side, laughing nervously as he waved his hands in front of him. "You don't have to do that!"

I stared at Goku with an even face, not believing him. "Why not, Goku? They've tried to harm us on more than one occasion now; their intentions definitely _aren't_ pure."

Was he that blind?

When he saw that I wasn't backing down, his expression fell to that of a deep hurt. As if the thought of me harming these men was a slap in the face to him. "But… Midori… We don't _need_ to use that kind of violence." He finally whispered, his large eyes silently pleading with me.

I wanted to argue with him; tell him that he was being a fool. 'He's adamant about this…' But, I chose not to voice my frustrations and waved them off as I passed Goku with a roll of my eyes. "You deal with them however you like. I'll be outside."

"... Okay." his tiny voice was the last thing I heard for a good minute.

Glass shattering echoed back to me, followed by the sound of hysterics as I made my way outside. "Those men are incredibly foolish… and lucky. If it were me in there, they would have been long gone for those stunts they tried to pull."

Finally outside, I spotted a tree that looked like a nice place to relax. 'He probably won't be long, but…' I walked around the other side of the tree and lowered myself to the ground, leaning back against the large trunk. The light smell of bark invaded my senses, and it was comforting.

A minute later I became restless. 'I should meditate… haven't done that in a while.' I sat up and crossed my legs, closing my eyes and sighing. 'I wonder…' with my mind, I reached out, hoping to find this Cell person who was hosting a tournament in a few days.

'Oh, that has to be it.' There was a great deal of negative energy radiating from an area not all that far from the spot we were at. 'Ten minutes flying, tops.'

One second with instant transmission.

I stood slowly, shrugging off my jacket and slinging it over one shoulder. "I'm sure he wouldn't mind if I left for a minute to check out—"

Tires screeched as a black car pulled out of the fortress and sped down the dirt road.

"…Well now…" I glanced at the building, my nose wrinkling from the offending smell of burnt rubber. 'I guess Goku used scare tactics… So why is he still inside?'

I groaned and placed two fingers on my forehead, transmitting myself to his location.

The first thing I noticed was that Goku was missing his jacket. Not because he was showing off his lovely chest and toned arms (oh, he had a wonderful physique, let me tell you…), but because…

It held the dragon balls. And if the Jacket was M-I-A, then so were the balls.

And he just _sat_ there, toying with some tiny metal figures that were looped through each other.

My eyes couldn't contain a small twitch. "Goku. _What are you doing?_"

He looked up and blinked. "I'm trying to solve these puzzles. If I can finish all three before tomorrow morning, I get to keep the other two dragon balls!" He smiled cheerfully, apparently not holding a grudge from what happened just minutes before.

I frowned, my eyes narrowing. "Did you happen to see where your jacket went?"

"Uh…" he was totally concentrated on the small puzzles. "I think Tao has it. He should be in the other room or something…"

My eyes widened in disbelief. "Other room my a—" I forced myself to stop and rub my forehead instead.

No wonder Vegeta angered easily around this man! He was either being _very_ arrogant, or _VERY_ naïve!

'It's most likely that latter… I don't think he knows that they actually took off with the other balls, either…' Oh well. I'd just find the men and get Goku's possessions back.

It was then that I noticed thug number two sitting in the corner of the room staring straight at me. Drool dripped from his mouth like leaky faucet.

I stared back through narrowed eyes. "What are you looking at?"

He immediately straightened up; even turned to the side and whistled a tune.

I leaned forward and grabbed one of Goku's hands so he would stop.

Smiling charmingly, I stroked the top of his head a few times. "You just stay _right_ here and finish your game. I'll be back later, okay?"

Goku gazed up at me in confusion, "Um, okay." and was back to messing with his toys by the end of his short sentence.

I tossed my jacket onto the table. "Watch that for me."

"… Yeah, got it."

'Wow. He's really determined… Okay, let me find these people… Huh.' They'd gotten farther than I thought they would. 'Well, here I go.'

The plain room, along with Goku and the other guy vanished, and I was standing in the middle of a dirt road.

There was a forest to my right, and a grand lake to my left.

And then there was the approaching black car just ahead.

I smirked at the oncoming vehicle and waved at them. What I expected was for them to lose control and swerve off the side of the road and crash… But no… Instead they increased their speed.

I laughed dryly. 'What are they going to do? Run me over?' they were ten feet away now.

I lifted a fist and brought it down into the hood of the car, breaking through it with a pleasing _CRUNCH._

Oopsies.

The car's posterior lifted into the air and groaned under the pressure of its heavy back being forced up by such a small object (my hand).

I pulled my fist out hastily, a few metal objects flying out after it, causing the car to abruptly fall. _Oh_, how I wanted to laugh at the sight of the grown men inside screaming like little children. "Okay!" I spread both of my arms out and smirked. "Listen up, boys!" The three men nodded silently, having shut up instantly.

"I want those dragon balls back—all six of them. I really don't appreciate you taking advantage of Goku. He's a very _kind_ man, and always assumes the best of people…"

For a second, they just sat there, cowering.

I frowned. "Unless you want me to throw this car into that _lake_ over there…"

They began scrambling, and I saw something orange being tossed around. General Tao stepped out of the car, trying his best to seem composed. "Here you go, miss. Sorry to trouble you and your boyfriend." He held out Goku's jacket and counted all six.

I quirked an eyebrow but said nothing to correct him. After recounting the orange marbles again to be sure, I sent the men on their way. Literally. One swift kick to the backside of their car and they were sent rocketing down the path.

"Good riddance…" Pulling the super Saiyan's jacket on subconsciously as a brisk breeze passed, I cracked a smile.

_"We don't need to use that kind of violence…"_

'Oh Goku,' I laughed quietly, 'You're quite the idealist…'

…

…It was getting late. I'd been staring at the setting sun, still as a statue for the last half hour, huddled under the thick orange and black fabric… just breathing in Goku's scent.

I'd made a small hole in the ground with a very harmless blast to the dirt. The dragon balls rested there, piled together, flashing occasionally. They were enchanting in the twilight atmosphere. The lake just ahead portrayed a mystifying mirror image of the sun as it slowly made it's way under the distant snow-capped mountains.

I inhaled and exhaled softly, the sound mingling with the sighs of the wind as I looked up at the violet sky. "Goku…" I nuzzled my face into the side of his jacket's collar. "Hurry up, will you?"

'Well, I probably won't be seeing him until next morning, so…'

After waiting a nameless amount of time for the sun to set, I placed two fingers on my forehead.

"Oh my." I was standing in the corner of a large marble surface in the middle of nowhere. Only the surrounding mountain ranges and the plains would be witnesses to the upcoming events. It was almost perfect in a sense; nature would bear witness to two forces of nature colliding.

The wind blew with a free spirit as I took in my surroundings through critical eyes.

This was where the showdown would be held after two more days…

* * *

**Midori's just a hair weaker than Vegeta (not that they know it), and she's got a crush on Goku, that's for sure! But it's obvious that the two have different takes on how to deal with unfriendlies.**

**And, she's finally gone to see Cell! Hmmm...**


	8. The Countdown

**Hello again, Cambreon bringing you more DBZ: The kind I have no rights to, that is :) And I just realized that it would be a good idea to post a picture of Midori on my profile... I mean, I've only been drawing her for the last 4.5 years xD Oh, and, reviews are appreciated!  
**

**So, Chapter 8: Midori sees Cell... wonder what they'll talk about.**

* * *

"More visitors? I'm becoming quite tired of all this…"

I located the smooth voice to my right, and proceeded forward. 'Well… Maybe I shouldn't get _too_ close…' I grimaced ever so slightly. He… _it_ stood in the middle of the massive, white marble ring, arms folded stiffly over its chest. I didn't know quite how to describe the android. 'A giant, green... spotted insect, maybe?' he was odd to say in the least, but not… _repulsive_.

I mirrored his stance, feeling less at ease than before. "Your are Cell, are you not?"

Beyond his mouth, not a muscle twitched as he spoke. "Only those who have been living under a rock do not know my identity." His tone lacked amusement.

I allowed the creature his sarcasm, even laughed lightly at his comment. "My apologies, Cell. I'm not from this planet… I just arrived—yesterday. You might know some of my friends and family."

This seemed to catch his attention.

"Oh really? And who might they be?" his violet eyes flashed in the dark, and I could see them tracking the lazy movements of my tail.

"A young man from the future named Trunks. The proud Saiyan prince, Vegeta… And lastly, Goku and his son… Gohan."

Even his smile was cold. "_Ah_… of course. I can see you _are_ a Saiyan, after all. Related to Vegeta, no doubt."

I nodded, smirking at his correct assumptions. "But why Vegeta?"

"I was fed information about Goku since the time of his boyhood. He has no other Saiyan family other than his son and a deceased brother."

A grin pulled at my lips. "Your information could be wrong. After all, I came from a different planet. I could have been a relative separated from my kin."

Cell was silent for a moment, eyes narrowed. "I suppose you do have a good point, but common sense tells me that you are of blood relation to Vegeta. You don't seem anything like Goku. You're much colder… and calculating, just like Vegeta, but _you_ try to hide it…"

I frowned, glaring darkly at the somewhat humanoid machine. 'So the robot has got some mechanical balls to boot...' He'd hit me below the belt with that comment, whether he knew it or not.

…

_Droplets of blood hit floor with a light plopping sound as a young man slid painfully down a wall._

_There was a gaping whole in his chest, in which his crimson lifeline poured freely from, but he still had enough energy to sputter and cough. "I… knew it." He choked out._

_Across the cramped room, Midori stood silently, lowering her once glowing hand back to her side. "I'm sorry," She murmured softly. Her words held some sincerity in them, but with her face set as hard as a rock, she believed her once friend would die not believing her._

_"No you're not!" he coughed, successfully showering himself in blood. His once lively blue eyes were strained, and the bright color faded with each passing second. "You're just as cold and calculating as the other two… I can't believe I considered you to be different…"_

_His eyes drooped as he finally whispered, "You lead me on… all the while hiding your true self…"_

_…He was dead._

…

I regarded the smug android evenly. "I don't like it when people judge me by my cover... You wouldn't be trying to get on my bad side, would you, Cell?" With my arms still folded, I thrummed my fingers on the side of my bicep, where small sparks crackled around them.

He laughed a short, hearty laugh. "Like Vegeta, I bet your bark is _far_ worse than your bite. Besides, I read 'em like I see 'em, _sweetheart_." His lips pulled up into a defiant smirk.

I scoffed. "Believe me, if I were anything _more_ like Vegeta," I found my tone becoming harsher as I continued "I'd tear you to _shreds_ this instant for your trash talk and there would be _no_ need for such an idiotic tournament after tonight." I was growling at the end. That was the problem with villains: No respect for anyone… Damn Android punk thought he was so great...

All humor was drained from the ring. Cell just stared; his sharp, unblinking eyes gave off a faint glow in the dark.

The sun had officially gone down. The moon was plump in the middle of the sky and lit up the arena so that even our shadows could be with us.

I had to be careful about that...

"Well…"

I snapped out of my daze, my arms falling apart gently.

"After I destroy Goku, I look forward to testing you in the ring… Your threats may be less vivid than Vegeta's, but somehow they feel more genuine." He then continued, chuckling darkly: "There's nothing better than seeing someone so self-righteous and arrogant being shown up by another least suspected."

He was talking about Vegeta…

I furrowed my eyebrows, lips parted, though slightly hesitant before speaking. "… You talk as if I might be stronger than him…"

The android smiled icily for the last time that night. "We shall see…"

…

Technically it was still night, but the watch I'd found in Goku's jacket told me it was 5:17 AM. The sun would be rising in an hour, ninety minutes at the most.

I hadn't eaten or slept since the previous night, at Capsule Corp.

Maybe that's why I was so lanky… well, under Saiyan standards anyway. I ate the same amount as any other Saiyan would in one sitting… but that was _when_ I got around to eating. Vegeta had commented that my build was laughable, while Bulma once said I had a "rockin' body" that made the girls at their hottest beaches look bad.

The Dragon balls were safe and sound, though I did reprimand myself for leaving them all alone to go see that cyborg. Since my return, I'd been sitting next to them, watching as the fireflies danced in the mellow glow of their magic.

Casting my gaze over my shoulder, I smiled softly through the dark as a pair of yellow slacks came into view. "Welcome back."

Goku stared down at me with that owlish gaze of his as he scratched his head with one hand, and held my jacket loosely with the other. "I just finished those puzzles like Tao said and came to get the other two balls, but my dragon radar said that they were _all_ really close…" he pulled out the radar with his free hand and showed it to me.

Not only did the screen display six orange dots bunched together in the very center, but another one not to far off. The seventh ball…

"And I could sense that you were just as close. What happened to those guys?" his tone wasn't accusing, but genuinely curious. _Hah!_

I hid my smirk behind the collar of his jacket, with the help of the night. "They had more… _pressing_ matters to attend to, and they said the dragon balls would only hinder them." I shrugged. "He gave them all—Ah, I mean, he gave his other two to me… to keep."

Goku grinned that signature grin of his and leaned against the tree behind us. "Wow! That was really nice of them."

I stifled a laugh, pretending to cough lightly. "So you did all those puzzles for no reason?"

The super Saiyan's smile faltered. "Oh man… you're right!" he cast a sour look at the tree branches above him. "Oh well…" he wasn't too bothered.

I turned away from Goku to face an equally attractive sight: the reflection of Earth's full moon on the black lake's surface. Gorgeous... like the blonde behind me... _ahem_. It was harmless looking at the reflection, because the moon's beams didn't come from it. It was the moonbeams that turned us into our great ape forms, which were only strong enough to do so when the moon was full and one made direct eye contact.

I tried not to act surprised when Goku sat unexpectedly close to me, his leg bumping mine when he shifted to get into a comfortable position.

My tailless companion was gazing out onto the lake as well, leaned back on one hand (his other holding my jacket which was balled up in his lap).

"Oh." I suddenly realized and removed his jacket from my person. "Here."

"Huh? Oh, thanks." We exchanged coats silently, but he did not move to put his on as I did mine. A moment later, he sighed heavily, pulling out the radar.

After a few clicks, the faint beeping I'd grown accustomed to ceased to be heard as Goku pocketed the device; he'd turned it off.

"We're not going for the last one? It seemed to be nearby," I pointed out softly in confusion. He was acting a bit different…

The male Saiyan flopped onto his back and gave a weak laugh. "I'm _tired!_"

…So _that_ was it.

I smiled gently, nodding to show my understanding.

Goku finally made use of his jacket by laying it over his chest like a blanket, pulling it all the way up to his nose.

Part of me secretly wondered if he might be inhaling my scent on the article of clothing like I'd done with his.

He shifted slightly, laying those incredibly aquamarine eyes on me with an air of curiosity. "Hey Dori?"

"Yes?"

He pulled down the collar covering his mouth so it rested on his chin instead. "Are you a super Saiyan, too?"

Both of my eyebrows had risen as I turned to look down at him. "Goku, don't you think I would have used it when we were fighting the other day?" I averted my gaze quickly, my hands finding themselves busy in the thick grass beneath them.

Propping himself up on one elbow, Goku smiled despite my answer. "But you could still get there one day, couldn't you? You're very strong, I'm surprised you haven't-"

"It's not that," I interrupted him, shaking my head. "Being _able_ to go super Saiyan isn't just a matter of strength… it has to do with your gender." He was silent, so I continued. "Only males are born with the chromosome that allows one to push their body past that limit… to transform."

His eyes lost the glitter they once held a moment ago as his smile faded. "Oh… that's too bad."

I turned away so my darkened gaze wouldn't startle the man. I wasn't about to tell him anymore concerning the matter. That small feeling of disgust still surfaced whenever I thought about it.

"_Wake up...please..."_

_"Midori will need a blood transplant. My son, you are the only one with the matching blood type."_

"You know…" His voice was soft as he spoke.

I glanced back down at Goku. His eyes shined with a new light as he gazed up at the similarly twinkling stars. "Vegeta told me that a super Saiyan is born every _hundred_ years…" He then smiled sheepishly. "Or was it every thousand?"

I smiled slightly at the irony. "Well, it was five this time around…"

His eyes were already closed as he nodded slowly, having turned onto his side, facing me.

I studied his face with the scrutiny of an artist as he yawned; his mouth vacuumed in air as he opened it wide, his large eyes squeezing shut tight. Pale eyebrows rose to hide under his thick bangs as he exhaled, then lowered back to their original place when he was done. His eyelids relaxed, leaving his face peaceful, like an… sort of like an angel.

I smiled sadly as realization poked me in the side. 'What's so special about you, Kakarot? Goku? I've known you for maybe five days… and you've wormed your way into my affections.'

He pulled his jacket up higher so that it covered his mouth again and grumbled something even I couldn't quite pick up.

"What?"

"Wake me up in a few hours…" he said louder this time, though pretty drowsily.

"… I will." As if waiting for my reassurance, I felt his energy signal dip low. If Goku wasn't sleeping yet, he would be any second.

'Three 'till six… I'll wake him up at eight…'

I leaned back until the soft, overgrown grass cushioned my body, a part of me wishing away the few inches that separated our lying forms. Smiling sadly again, I settled for just elbow contact.

Before shutting my abused eyes, I spared a fleeting glance at the full moon; it was too stunning to ignore.

* * *

Miles away, the teenaged son of Bulma and Vegeta was just waking up.

'6:11AM?' Trunks squinted, his eyes not believing the flashing numbers in his hand. With a sigh, he flopped back onto his bed, placing the digital clock back in its respective spot as he did so.

Why was he up so early? The sun was barely visible over the horizon.

He always asked himself that question… _every_ morning. But he already knew the answer.

_"If you're so eager to watch one of our training sessions, then you'll have to get up bright and early."_

_Innocent baby blue eyes blinked cutely up the older woman. "How early?"_

_Midori smiled softly at her six-year-old nephew. "You'll have to rise with the sun."_

'Eventually it was me in those training sessions and Midori watching…' Trunks remembered how he would always scramble in the early morning to watch Gohan and Midori spar and practice technique. When he turned eight, it was finally his turn to participate, as Midori watched her student teach _his_ pupil.

And then one day… she wasn't there to watch.

Even though the teen's eyes were closed, he squeezed them shut even tighter. 'You'd think all those years would be enough time to heal… but seeing her and Gohan… seeing _everyone_… it's just so hard not to forget,' He sighed heavily '… that this is only temporary.'

After rolling around in his bed for a few more minutes, Trunks finally opened his eyes to stare at the dull ceiling above him. 'Midori… I wonder what she's up to...'

* * *

Everything was blurry. Above me was the brightest of lights, as if something much greater than life was calling out to me. Below me was a murky abyss, daunting with the illusion of a never-ending plunge.

I moved towards the light, my body sluggish, but at the same time as light as a feather… almost like I was flying.

I broke the surface and shook my head, water droplets flying off of my hair. 'I _love_ swimming.'

The sun was fully out now. When I'd got in, it was just a dull glow over the tops of the mountains surrounding us (I'd only slept for about half an hour). But Goku was still sleeping. He— …I _thought_ he'd still been sleeping.

'Strange…' I narrowed my eyes as I scanned the grounds around the lake. My clothes were still there… along with another pile of orange and yellow. 'Wait… I don't sense him either…—!' Faster than I could take my next blink, something latched on to my ankles and jerked me underwater. At least my instincts kicked in fast enough to say _"hold your breath!"_

But before I could use my senses correctly, I began to panic, and through the blurriness I half-knowingly swung at the man of my inquiry. A swift (yet rough) knock on the head sent him the message. His high-pitched exclamation could be heard, followed by a flurry of bubbles that invaded my limited vision.

I broke away from Goku and swam towards the surface again, my face settling into an annoyed glare. He came up a few seconds later, his hands instantly clutching the top of his head.

'That fool's hair isn't even flattened!' I noticed the upstanding blonde spikes with the twitch of an eye.

"_Ouch!_" his voice was whiny as he rubbed his head, his eyes big with disbelief. "Why'd you have to hit me so hard?"

I returned his stare with one of my own. "Why'd you have to scare me like that?"

He pouted as I arched an eyebrow in question.

"I was just playing around…" he pouted some more, his eyes slightly narrowing. He really did act like a child sometimes.

I shook my head and adverted my gaze, squinting slightly against the early sunlight.

…

As I sat cross-legged on the grass, one thing I'd noticed right away was the painfully obvious difference in the sizes between fish on this planet and any other planet I'd been on. Goku dragged one aquatic behemoth back, the newly deceased creature slung over his shoulder by the tail. It had to weigh half a ton…

Any normal person would have gaped at the scene. A slightly over average-heighted man dragging along a fish almost five times the size of him… Not to say that I _wasn't_ staring with round eyes, but something else had caught my attention.

In my earlier annoyance, I'd failed to notice he was wearing a mere pair of boxers… (Just as I was wearing only my undergarments). Now, I wasn't really one to care about how much or how little one was wearing, but… '_Great_ spirits from beyond—he could kill _anyone_ by just showing that body off!' I suddenly remembered the young girl who'd gotten sucked into attending the ceremonial orgy on the gypsy planet... _Me_. 'It's a damn shame he wasn't there with me.'

For a Saiyan he had a slender waist… he wasn't at all as thick as Vegeta was when it came to lower-body muscle tone (he made up for it with those _arms_ of his), but he still had quite the physique. And his boxers… they were stuck to his body like another layer of skin…

"I got me a pretty big one here, don't I?" Goku smiled victoriously, _painfully_ oblivious to the innuendo he'd just made.

I forced my rebellious eyes to move above his waistline and nodded eagerly, feeling the oncoming bubbles of laughter. "Oh yes… I can't wait to try it." I stifled my giggles by trying to clear my throat, then coughing. My eyes were getting misty too. Oh _Kais_.

He placed the fish down gently and then rubbed his chin, staring at me. "Are you coming down with a cold?" his eyes widened dramatically a second later, as if he'd seen a ghost. "Oh gosh! You shouldn't get too close then! I don't wanna go to the doctors!" he then proceeded to blubber on about doctors and hospitals.

I had stopped laughing a while ago and just watched with a weary eye as he rambled for a few minutes. "Goku," I finally spoke, silencing him abruptly. "I'm not sick."

He blinked once, then twice, and just stared some more. "…Oh. Well, in that case, let's get this baby cooked up!" he flipped the cheer switch again, gesturing towards his large catch.

I watched on while the only other full-blooded Saiyan beside me and brother moved our breakfast towards the makeshift roasting station I'd assembled, a tiny smile taking my lips.

'Now when was the last time I ever laughed over something like that?' It was an immature moment on my part, regardless of the untold joke . 'With any other person I would have been privately embarrassed, but with him…'

I shook my head, my smile growing into a smirk. 'I don't think you can get any more oblivious than that.' Unless he _had_ known that I was openly checking him out… And he'd made that innuendo…

I narrowed my eyes at the ground, my lips forming a thin line. 'Let's hope he's as unmindful as he lets on.'

Minutes passed after that, Goku whistling an upbeat tune as he occasionally turned the fish by a branch that served as the skewer to hold it up.

I had to admit… it smelled heavenly. There was always something about the smell of roasting flesh that I loved... as perverse as that sounded. Accompanied by a hint of fresh lake water, I could already feel my stomach clenching impatiently.

Finding nothing better to do, I began fiddling with the grass. Six seconds later the clouds had caught my attention. Another six seconds and I was snapping my fingers in my lap... "I'm hungry, Goku."

He laughed lightly, turning our lunch again. "Tell me about it! I haven't eaten since yesterday _morning_." His stomach growled at an amazingly loud rate, as if on cue. "Oooo—see what I mean?" he rubbed his bare stomach gingerly, leaning forward slightly as if in real pain.

I leaned back on my hands, smirking playfully, allowing myself to enjoy the view once he'd turned his attention back to the task at hand. 'Yes… he's got quite the body…'

…

I don't know how he did it.

I could barely do it!

Sitting at the edge of the lake with Goku's clothes folded neatly in my lap, I frowned down at my reflection in the crystalline water. It had already been five minutes since I'd quit.

He had been underwater for SEVEN minutes. I could barely hold mine for two! So I'd left Goku to dive for the last dragon ball alone.

"What is he, part amphibian?" I shook my head, my reflection showing just how wary I looked. 'Well he must have just found it, because I feel him coming back up.'

Not a second sooner did he pop up from the depths, a few flecks of water splashing my face in the process.

The beeping radar was clutched in one hand as he grinned down at his other, which gently cradled the seventh and final ball…

Our gazes met and I immediately stood, not able to hold back a smile just as brilliant as his.

He held it up triumphantly, his chest heaving as his lungs took in the fresh oxygen they'd been deprived of for nearly eight minutes. "And that-_hah_-makes seven—Just in time!"

My tail bristled as I fought back the urge to jump up and down. "Well, come on! Get dressed!"

I tossed Goku his cloths as he placed the last marble next to its six shimmering siblings. His khakis hit him square in the face, whilst his jacket and shirt fell to the grass in a heap around his wet feet.

I laughed, as he stood frozen in his spot. "Oops… Sorry."

He pulled at his pants slightly, so only his blank stare was visible under his bangs. "No you're not." He then yanked them fully off his face, offering his own playful smirk to show his lightheartedness.

I shrugged my left shoulder in response.

When Goku was done dressing I approached his side, my eyes lit with expectancy. "What now?"

After making sure the entirety of the dragon balls were secure in his coat pockets, he held out a hand, reminding me of the first time we'd met. "Take my hand," he replied with a mild grin. Before I could even respond he reached out and gently took my hand in his.

I blinked once, waiting for him to do something. I blinked twice—

"Dad! Hey, you guys made it!"

We weren't by the lake anymore.

My attention was brought to the half-Saiyan child running our way. He was dressed exactly the way I'd last seen him, but with the addition of a large white cape resting over his shoulders. It fluttered behind him as he made his way across a stretch of white tile landscaping.

Discretely slipping away from Goku, I stared in awe at the new surroundings. There was a small, two-story sanctuary in the center of what seemed to be a large… floating circular platform. Or whatever it was we were standing on. Everywhere I looked, there was sky waiting beyond its edges. We seemed to be near the clouds. It was a bit harder than usual to breath up here, but nothing to complain about.

And it seemed that there was more than just Gohan here to greet us. The Namekian from before was present, along with Krillin and Trunks.

I tilted my head to the side as Goku's son rushed past me, sending a distracted greeting my way as he went. I returned one in the same manner, focusing more on my teenage nephew.

"You cut your hair," I greeted softly once he was close enough to touch. I did just that, and ran my fingers through his silky bangs. I liked the short hair. Much more youthful. Less hard-ass.

His beautiful blue eyes fell to the floor as he replied, "Yeah, it was getting pretty tough to handle. Especially while I was training." He seemed a bit shy in his response.

"But," he started up in a less timid tone, "You two found the dragon balls just in time. We still have the rest of the day to get some training in."

I folded my arms over my chest in a leisurely manner, offering the armor-clad teen a doubtful look. "Do you really think some odd hours of training are going to help us out tomorrow?"

Trunks suddenly smirked, and looked strikingly like his father... "Oh, it's _way_ more than that. Just wait."

There was a suspenseful moment of silence, in which I stared expectantly, waiting for him to elaborate. What could he possibly be hiding up those spandex sleeves of his?

That's when I heard a new voice, gone unnoticed before.

"Now I can figure the new dragon! Thank you so much, Goku!" What looked like a _very_ miniature version of Piccolo stood before Goku, Gohan, and Krillin. Two especially large black eyes shined gaily with gratitude. Tiny antennas bobbed up and down as he (I assumed) giggled childishly with Gohan.

The kid was _cute_.

"No problem, Dende! I know that you'll do a bang up job as the new guardian of Earth." The older Saiyan regarded the alien child with one of his giant grins that never failed to instill confidence in those receiving it.

I tore my gaze away from the mushy, yet heartwarming scene.

With my interest peaked at Trunks' big secret, I almost didn't care of the dragon balls' fate. As long as they accomplished what they set out to do, it was all fine and good.

"Trunks. Don't keep me waiting, now. What did you have in mind?" I quirked an eyebrow and flicked my tail.

Trunks adverted his eyes (that were positively dancing with mischief) from me to the eldest Saiyan present. "Hey, Goku!" he called out, issuing a few heads turning our way. "I'm going to take Midori into the Hyperbolic Time Chamber for the rest of the day."

The what?

Apparently this was something good, for there were mostly approving looks throughout the group of people.

Goku gave two thumbs up. "That's a great idea. Who knows, you guys might even get a little stronger." He was genuinely for the idea, which made me more curious yet.

I guess I was about to find out what the big deal was.

…

"A door."

"Well—it's not just _any_ door, you know."

"_Trunks_," I openly rolled my eyes, and my tail snapped irritably behind me. "Juuust tell me what's behind the damn dooor…" I voiced my frustrations in a drone, never the one for silly guessing games.

I could tell he was more than okay with pushing my buttons, as he simply smiled and gestured towards the mysterious entryway in front of us with a flourish of his hands. "Ladies first."

I shook my head at his antics, then took the initiative by grabbing the handle and proceeding in. I immediately became more aware of my surroundings. Eyes set wide, my feet were on autopilot as I soaked in the new atmosphere… I steadily advanced into the oddest…_ emptiest _place imaginable... Yes, an endless expanse of nothingness. The first thing that came to mind: 'Broly. When he finally snapped. It's just like his eyes were…'

The only thing in sight was the small open-sided room we were standing in: another small sanctuary in the middle of nowhere.

I opened my mouth to comment, but the words were lost to me when a second later, the most startling gust of wind came crashing into us out of nowhere.

My arms instinctively wrapped themselves around my upper body when I felt the familiar sting of ice. This wasn't natural. It got _too_ cold, _too_ fast.

"What was that?" I stared, reminiscent to an amazed five-year old, into the white abyss, a thick steam escaping my lips as I spoke. My tail had coiled around my waist in an unconscious attempt to keep warm.

"I know. It's intense." Trunks was by my side now, staring out into the white horizon with me. "You feel like you might be swallowed up at any moment… unless you're constantly on guard."

My face pulled into a small grimace as I moved ahead silently.

"Watch your step."

I paused, gazing behind me for a spare second. I had stopped at the edge of the white tile, and if I were to take another step, I'd be standing on top of ice. Extending one leg, I cautiously tapped at the icy ground with a toe. The action was answered by a pulling sensation.

More increased gravity.

Bracing myself, I stepped out onto the ground; I could see my reflection, albeit blurry, in the floor. This was nothing compared to Bulma's gravity room, that was for sure, but... "Let me guess…" I lowered my head enough to where my eyes could still trace the ghostly area with scrutiny. "This room has some hidden dangers… that allow for intense training and adaptation to extreme situations?" My voice echoed out in the strangest way… as if my echo had had an echo... but at the same time, with no delay.

Trunks walked on ahead of me, his hands resting lightly over his hips. "Not to mention how extremely _slow_ the time passes in here."

I found myself blinking in surprise, much like Goku would have done. "How slow?"

"Well… we'll be in here all evening." He seemed deep in thought for a moment. "Lets say we're in here for seven hours. That handful of hours outside will pass by as about one hundred twenty days in here."

I was at a loss for words.

This place, this giant enigma, would prove quite useful.

…

Three months exactly had passed inside the chamber. I couldn't say that my strength had taken any giant leap. My nephew's punches didn't hurt nearly as bad as they did in the beginning.

I found it quite trying sparring with Trunks, though. He seemed to be able to predict all of my movements. He held the upper hand most of the time. With his in-depth knowledge of my fighting style and my limited familiarity with his… Well, it was frustrating is all.

But, my endurance had notably gotten better. My speed was now unlike any other. I could easily tire out Trunks if I wanted to, but if he did happen to land a few well-placed attacks, he could have me just the same (I was an open book, after all.). The harsh environment made it simpler to accomplish.

"So, then how'd you guys escape?" Trunks pushed his hair (that'd grown out again, in record speed) over his shoulder as he leaned down to slurp the last bits of ramen noodle in his bowl. He'd asked me about some of my old stories that he'd heard in his childhood.

Just incase my future counterpart had been making things up, I suppose.

I took a shot of my chilled water, then placed the glass gently on top of the mattress I sat on. "Well, as you know, the females on that planet were much more… _rugged_… than most other races." I stared pointedly at the teen as he sat cross-legged on his bed a few feet away.

It was all I could do not to laugh as his eyes widened considerably. "No way! Don't tell me you guys… _Ugh!_" he gave an exaggerated shudder, wrapping his arms around himself at the thought of cross-dressing.

"He was the apple of every man's eye that we passed until we got off that planet… Let's just put it that way." I raised my glass again in a mock cheer and winked, smirking delightedly._ Hah_, Broly in a dress. good memories.

Trunks moved into a comfortable position on his side, his hair spilling over one shoulder. "So, I meant to ask you this a while ago..."

I glanced up with a stern expression, already knowing where the teen was going.

"What was with you and Goku holding hands when you arriv-"

"Oh, _fool_, shut up! Now, that's the _tenth_ time you asked; I already told you it was instant transmission—shut _up_!" My tail slapped the matress under me as he collapsed onto his back laughing. There was a joker hidden under those serious walls. I'd hate to see how his smaller counterpart was going to turn out without the stress this one had to deal with...

Indeed, I had grown much closer to my nephew in the altered time we'd spent together. When we weren't training, I paid very close attention to his mannerisms, his personality, everything he did or said. I could see straight through him.

He was tough; he had been forced to be that way. But underneath that… I saw young boy, maybe thirteen years old. He wanted desperately to hold onto those around him, but that tough-guy kept the death-grip on his shoulder. He didn't want to seem weak under certain eyes… _Vegeta_. Maybe even Goku… Gohan too.

I could empathize very well with that… sharing your problems with someone you barely knew and having to trust that person, all the while desperate over the whole situation…

We both put our trust in Goku; if it'd paid off for me, then I had no doubt that Cell wouldn't be a problem for much longer.

My thoughts were brought back to Trunks. 'He seems calm when he's around his mother, probably because he's always had her. But I see the way he looks at me and everybody else.' As if he were nervous we'd all just up and vanish. It was tragic, really.

…

'Ugh… I give up.'

I leaned back on my hands, my legs spreading out in a 'v' shape. It didn't faze me how hard the ground was, or that the air was _so_ intensely hot that I wouldn't have been surprised to see a geyser of fire shoot out from beneath the floor.

I tried to blow a sweaty tendril of hair from my face, failing miserably. "Is any of this really necessary?" Trunks placed himself at my side a second later, peeling his sweaty gloves off. "We're down to our last few minutes in this room, after _months_. I think we can rest now."

He gave a short laugh, tossing the slick gloves behind him. "Yeah, I guess it's about time we head out…"

_Finally_…

When we emerged from the Hyperbolic Time Chamber, the sky reminded me of the inner meat of a pink grapefruit, signaling the sun was soon to set. There wasn't anyone out to greet us right away.

Further out onto the lookout, I spotted Piccolo and a short, plump man with black skin. We bade him and 'Mr. Popo' our goodbyes, then made a speedy leave, my instant transmission the mode of transportation.

I lowered my fingers from my forehead, frowning. 'Where are we?'

"Hey, you guys! Welcome back!" Bulma hailed us over from across the large room we'd wound up in. It had the sterile and chilly feeling of a laboratory… That must've been it.

Either way, we were back in Capsule Corporation, and the change in scenery was much welcomed.

Computers and machinery lined every wall, while she and her father sat before a huge operating table with an equally huge man sitting on it.

I made my way over, careful not to disturb Mr. Briefs, who was napping in his chair. "Who have we here?" I placed a hand on Bulma's shoulder, inquiring about the _very_ large man in the full body spandex suite.

He just sort of stared straight ahead of him, not taking notice to a single thing around him.

'Odd… I don't sense a life force from this one…' My eyes narrowed as I gave the redheaded, blue-eyed giant a look over.

"Mom, did you do it?" Trunks was pulling off his boots, his armor already forgotten on the floor beside him.

Do what?

Bulma held out a hand to the silent man sitting with his legs over the side of the table. "This is Android Sixteen. And yes, I did fix him up nice and new." She waved her hand around as if she were about to say _tada! _

Finally, his fine-point stare turned onto me. The way his neck and upper body moved, I could definitely see the machine in him. It was… creepy.

I stared back, an eyebrow arched in question to his silence. "Hello."

"Hello." He returned my greeting with an almost drawn out monotone.

A smirk found its way to my face. 'What a lovely robot.'

* * *

_It was needless to say that Bulma received quite the surprise when she walked into the family room that night in search of her favorite earrings._

_The television was on full blast, playing some sort of raunchy horror flick that would only air at that obscenely late hour of the night she found herself in the room._

_But what really got her was the scene displayed on the couch._

_Six gallons of chocolate ice cream strewn across the floor, three extra large pizza boxes, and two Saiyans fast asleep: one stretched out on the sofa, the other sitting with their head on the edge of the seat._

'_My gosh—look at this mess!' Bulma's quest for her lost jewelry suddenly flew out the window. For a moment, she considered a rude awakening, but thought otherwise when she took a closer look. 'Well… they look so cozy… I couldn't.' She found herself smiling despite the sticky, greasy mayhem dealt to her carpet._

_Midori was snoozing peacefully on her stomach, her legs stretched out across the roomy sofa, her face buried in a plush pillow she'd probably brought down from her room. Trunks, on the other hand, was sitting on the floor with his hands folded in his lap, leaned back so his head rested on the edge of the couch. Some of his long hair fell loosely over his aunt's waist, and…_

'_Oh, is that her tail?' Bulma had to cover her mouth to keep from giggling at the sight._

_Midori's tail was poking out through Trunks' thick hair, trailing down his shoulder and laying limply across his chest. Like in an unconscious protective manner... It was too cute._

_Unknown to the slumbering Saiyans, the Capsule Corp. heiress had just happened to be carrying a camera in her coat pocket that night…_


	9. It's Goin' Down

**Chapter 9: The Cell Games! **

**New and improved androids, new people (at least to Midori), and a new battle to save the world! Classic DBZ.**

**Speaking of Midori, her Saiyan name will be revealed in the next chapter; it's short and kinda unisex if you ask me. But I like it ^^  
**

* * *

I wasn't sure what time it was when I woke up, but peering bleary-eyed through the sliding glass doors and out into the blue-grey backdrop told me it was early enough.

'Might as well get up… Today's the big day…' Pushing my torso up, I peeked over my shoulder. Sure enough, Trunks was out like a light on the floor with his head resting comfortably on the side of my waist.

"You two _hardly_ look like you're ready to take on Cell…" Vegeta made his presence known from a dark corner of the room. Despite only half of his face being lit up, the prince's cocky smirk was clearly visible.

By the time I flipped over to face my older brother, Trunks was awake, staring half-lidded at his father as well. It must have been a sight, us lying there amongst sticky junk foods, too lazy to have cleaned up, let alone make our way to our _own_ beds.

"I will admit," Vegeta began, his face a serious mask. "After training with the two of you, I can wager that you'd both put up a decent fight… _but_…" his smirk came back.

"At the end of the day, we all know that neither of you has what it takes to get the job done. Cell will be done away by my hands and _mine_ alone."

I puckered my lips a bit and glanced at the floor; it was a habit of mine whenever I was met with someone a little too self-assured. My half-Saiyan nephew had informed me of Vegeta's last run-in with Cell… 'Well, whatever doesn't kill you makes you stronger... literally... Cell, Broly.' At that rate, Vegeta should have been _indestructible_... Ha.

Trunks could only gaze up at his father, silently challenging his opinion, as I hid my smirk behind a suspiciously "itchy lip".

"Are you two just going to sit there and stare all day?" he was beginning to get annoyed. "If you're going to watch the fight, then I suggest getting ready now, or not at all!" Vegeta turned with a warning scowl and exited the room, his arms crossed over his chest.

My nephew was the one to break the long silence that ensued after his father's leave; He looked down at the pizza boxes and ice cream cartons scattered around his feet. "I guess we should get rid of this stuff, then get ready." Trunks then gazed over his shoulder, gently removing my tail from his neck, which had coiled around it a bit when Vegeta was making his thoughts loud and clear. "You ready?" he smiled as if the question pertained to something as simple as going to visit family.

"Yes. If you say he's nothing like Broly, then I'm ready for just about anything…"

…

After the time consuming and irritating event of pulling on black, skin-tight under armor, I easily slipped into a baggy training shirt, tied a belt over it and stepped into a pair of Saiyan boots. I was ready.

Out on the front lawn, Vegeta and Trunks were already waiting. The way they matched entirely with their blue spandex and chest armor (gloves and boots included) coaxed the tiniest smile out me. It was nice to see that they agreed on one thing.

Bulma was also present, her hands resting lightly atop her older son's shoulders.

"…careful, okay?"

He lowered his head a bit, causing long lavender hair to cover most of his face from the angle I was approaching. "I promise, mom. Don't worry."

"He's in good hands." I called out.

The petite woman turned at my voice, smiling a bit. "Yeah…" her expression then brightened up as she placed her hands on her hips. "You stay safe, too! You've only been around for a few days! I'm not done getting to know you…" She trailed off, folding her arms with a sly smirk to boot. Her way of coping, I presumed.

I opened my mouth to reply, only to have the chance stolen by my brother: "We're wasting time!" I could almost see a vein popping out of his forehead. I arched an eyebrow in annoyance.

Fine, fine. If he wanted to be pushy… "To Cell we go?"

Vegeta suddenly looked very sour about something. "No… not yet." Anyone could tell he was dying to roll his eyes.

"We're going to the lookout first." Trunks filled in.

'That's why he's so upset? A detour before the final destination?' I threw Vegeta a slightly incredulous look before suggesting, "You know, we don't have to fly. I can just use my instant transmission. Who all is there?"

Trunks opened his mouth, but Vegeta interrupted again. "The boy and the Namek for sure."

"Gohan and Piccolo… Okay." I reached over to place a hand on his bicep as Trunks grasped my shoulder. Looking back at Bulma, I nodded gravely, and she returned the gesture. I couldn't imagine how she felt, having to watch her son and—er—_lover_ (humans don't really use the term 'mate'…) leave for a potentially fatal battle for the sake of the Earth.

It wasn't long before the freshly cut lawn was replaced by white tile. And most of the crew was present: Gohan, and Piccolo (as Vegeta had assumed), Krillin, and the two residents of "The Lookout", Mr. Popo and Dende (the Earth's guardian). They didn't seem at all thrilled to see us. I hadn't expected them to be, under the circumstances, but something seemed… off.

Gohan looked up, smiling weakly. "Hey guys." He was dressed identically to Piccolo.

The older half-Saiyan stepped forward. "Is something wrong?" At that, they all directed their attention to the tiny guardian from Namek.

Dende remained silent, his eyes glued to the floor, acting as if he were to move them, then the whole world would crumble beneath us. After a few seconds: "I messed up big time…" his tiny voice came out in a soft whimper, causing my heart to momentarily throb for whatever reason he was so distraught. It seemed that was all he was going to say, so the older Namek picked up for him.

"He modeled the new dragon after the old Shenron…" Piccolo remained as stiff and glum as if he were addressing a funeral gathering. "That means that even if we wish all the people Cell has killed back to life, those who have died once before won't be a part of the ones coming back."

Now Trunks was wearing that same hard expression everyone else there already donned. That was definitely bad news, but…

Vegeta scoffed openly at their downtrodden attitudes. "That's what you're worried about?" Several annoyed glances met him. "Nobody's going to die, don't you get that? _Cell _will be a mere smudge of his namesake by the time I'm through with him!" He threw an equally annoyed look back at the group.

I just minded my own business on the whole matter, meanwhile digesting the aspect of bringing the _dead_ back to life. 'I agree with Vegeta, though…' Nobody would die, not with Goku on our side… 'And I guess Vegeta's pretty powerful, too.' Or so he seemed to convey every chance offered.

"Fine. Believe what you want." The prince turned his back on the group, and I followed suit in an unconscious manner. "I'm leaving." He walked away, his strong arms stiff. A few seconds later, he flew up and over the edge of the lookout and out of sight.

The others remained silent even after that. I turned back, offering the guys an apologetic shrug, then smiled and spun around, beginning a light run towards the edge of the sanctuary. The next thing I knew, my feet were splitting the clouds as air rushed up from under me, causing my shirt to fly up in the intense winds. I laughed as my hair blew completely out of my face, imagining that I must look exactly like my brother with his large forehead and gravity defying hair. The ground, maybe a mile below, was an indescribable green blur. Every passing second it grew noticeably clearer. _Ah_, it was exhilarating!

'…But speaking of brothers... I should try to catch up to mine.' It didn't take much for me to tap into my energy and fly off at my own will. This way was much faster than the free-fall… but _definitely_ not as much fun.

Before I knew it, a blue speck showed up in the distance. 'There you are.' I gave a small push, closing in on Vegeta in no time. 'It's nice having this kind of speed at my disposal.' Of course, it took some concentration to tap into my more breakneck speeds, but in average combat I could still lead a great chase.

There was also Goku... He'd lived on Yardrat for a year or so, and even mastered the instantaneous transmission! but he wasn't raised there, that's for sure. They were a people of unmatched speed. And _I_, as a child, had mastered their ways. 'Without them, I wouldn't be the speed-demon I am today.'

A small smirk found my lips as I flew beside my brother, who was strangely silent.

'Oh?' I blinked as we neared the grand arena surrounded by its intimidating cliffs. 'That was fast.' We simultaneously began our decent. I noticed that there were large areas around the cliff sides where the grass was charred, or a crater had been embedded. There must have been some altercation recently.

I could see that Cell was present, as well as a couple of humans; one large male with equally proportioned curly hair sitting on his head, and another, rather scrawny male in a dark suite who seemed to be talking into some device. They were antagonizing the android, who took no heed.

His steely gaze was on us.

As we touched down just feet away from the ring's edge, _all_ eyes were on Vegeta and I.

Magenta pupils shifted from left to right, from my brother to me…

I tipped my head back a bit and smirked in greeting to the green creature. I would have loved to participate in a three-way staring contest involving my brother and Cell, but—

'_What_ are those men staring at?' I tossed the shorter one with the black ball-and-stick object a nasty look, but he continued to gape at us in disbelief.

He blinked at my expression, finally speaking up. "It appears we have two more visitors... but I don't recognize them!" he spoke as if we weren't even there, and another young man walked out from behind the other larger one with some kind of large, rectangular seeing-device. "They just came… _flying_ in here unexpectedly!"

So flying wasn't part of normal life on Earth..? Krillin was human and he flew…

The tall man with the hairy face straightened up a bit and smirked down at us. "One of Cell's tricks…" apparently flying was a trick then… Hm.

The scrawny man spoke up again, his… microphone! Yes, he still had the _microphone_ up to his mouth. "I'm not sure what they're doing here, so why don't we go up and ask them?" he scampered towards the edge of the arena and held the microphone down to our faces. "_So_—who are you and what are you doing here? And, if you've just come to watch, back away from the ring before you get hurt!" he spoke to us as if we were children, albeit using a professional tone.

My face screwed up in confusion and I pulled back slightly as he held the microphone out to me first. Sensing that he wouldn't get an answer, the dark-haired fellow turned awkwardly towards Vegeta.

The prince did not seem quite as angered as I'd thought he would be (as he was busy staring down Cell), but still had enough annoyance in him to throw out an insult. "Quiet," his voice was firm, as if the man before us was now the child. "I've had enough of your insolence."

The man recoiled, seemingly offended and confused.

"Get _out_ of my face." Vegeta added in a slightly harsher tone. I smiled, thoroughly enjoying my brother's crotchety attitude.

The receiver of his hostility laughed uncomfortably, and scurried back over to his tall companion, holding his microphone out to him. As he adjusted his glasses, the gentleman gazed warily back at Vegeta from his safe distance. "If you ask me, that guy's nuts! Have any thoughts, champ?"

The "champ" folded his arms, his mouth hanging open, momentarily at a loss for words. "Uh… um, he's… _probably_ just one of my fanatical fans!" he closed his eyes and nodded, the answer making complete sense to him.

'Who is that man? I doubt Vegeta would be any fan of _his_.' I concentrated on his burly figure for a moment, feeling out his energy level. '_What?_ My son had twice as much power as this man before his second birthday!' I frowned deeply as they continued to scrutinize us with their _mics_ and _cameras_, talking about us like we were deaf…

I really wished they would just leave so we could get on with our business.

'But I guess we can't really get things started without the others… and Goku.'

The short, suited man suddenly announced that the beginning of the "Cell Games" were only five minutes away (according to his watch…). He continued on to say that "Mr. Satan" was the only one stepping up to take on Cell.

'Oh… So that big hairball of a man is Mr. Satan?' I watched on skeptically as the little one continued to dramatize the whole situation with phrases like "Decide the fate of the Earth!" and "Fight of the century!" It _was_ true, but… I felt that the situation should have been a more intimate one.

A glimmer caught my eye from the side. I'd forgotten about him already…

Android sixteen flew in and landed on the opposite side of the ring, successfully startling the humans and tearing both Cell and Vegeta's attention away from each other. He bore a Capsule Corporation logo plastered over his old Red-Ribbon Army insignia. He was _much_ larger than I remembered from the previous night, but then again, he'd been sitting at the time.

'At _least_ eight feet tall.' I tried not to smile. He looked like an overgrown lime with a tuft of red hair on top. 'That green armor is too much…'

Cell shifted slightly to make pleasantries with his cyborg brother, smiling in a way that seemed confident, yet slightly weary, as if they had been through the same old song and dance several times before. The green android was answered by the android _in_ green with his cold stare only. The newly christened Capsule Corp. redhead had been another fighter unlucky enough to face Cell.

I spared a glimpse to my right, seeing that Vegeta seemed conflicted between annoyance and incredulity.

I lowered my head a bit, dropping my voice to a mumble as I spoke out of the side of my mouth. "Brother—is that android very strong?"

He 'hmphed', suggesting that an answer to my question was a waste of his breath, and continued to stab into Cell's being with his sharp glare.

Well then…

'What's this…?' A group of energies closing in on the area perked my senses. 'It's them… and _then_ some.' Cell confirmed my suspicions by commenting on Goku's arrival and his own suspense.

Looking up to the clouds, I noticed them right away, and I wasn't alone. The humans gaped in pure awe, filming every second of their flight. Flying to them must have been… like healing to me, I guess. I'd always found individuals with restorative abilities to be _so_ unique…

"Keep… it… rolling." The newsman could hardly believe his eyes.

Up in the skies approached six white streams if ki, and two gold ones. The group was headed by the larger golden streak, suggesting the super Saiyan Goku. Sure enough, as the leader dipped low for a landing, I recognized the orange and blue uniform.

They all landed one by one: Goku, Gohan, Trunks… two humans I'd not met, Piccolo, and finally Krillin. Each male had their own intense look expressing their anxiousness, whilst Goku seemed to be the only one smiling.

My lips gave a flicker of a smirk. After all, a Saiyan always anticipated battle.

"Welcome." Cell's coolly smooth voice brought my attention back. "Welcome everyone." He let his arms fall to his sides, finally loosening up.

Vegeta on the other hand, was far from relaxed. He had further stiffened up as he turned slightly to look behind us at the new arrivals, and his face was far from welcoming. The prince had probably only wanted Trunks and I (and Goku _especially) _to see him finish off Cell. The turnout had doubled…

Bright green movement drew my eyes away from the crowd over to the redheaded android. 'It's so _odd_ how I can't sense him at all!' Because he was a machine, of course… 'But I can't miss him with that armor on…' I smirked again.

Krillin was the next one to notice his approach and greeted him enthusiastically. "Android Sixteen! Hey, you're back!"

The gigantic cyborg stopped just short of Krillin and Gohan, smiling back softly in response. "Yes, and thank you." He stared down at the two shortest among us, his gaze oddly inconsistent with the coldness of a machine and the gratitude of a man. "Because of you, I am fully functional again."

Krillin accepted his thanks, laughing it off as if it weren't a big deal.

I stared on curiously at their interaction. 'I wonder what went on here with all these androids before I arrived…' Supposedly in the future there had been two androids released, and those two alone. Here there had been a first pair, different from the ones expected, _then_ the two everyone had been warned about. And after their release the big one had also joined the party… 'What a difference.'

Goku suddenly felt the need to step forward and introduce himself.

'But don't all those red-ribbon robots hate him?'

"My name's Goku." The super Saiyan held his hand out to the towering android in good nature, smiling up at the serious being.

Sixteen's calm smile immediately dropped, his eyes adverting to the side to avoid Goku's gesture, who then blinked up at Sixteen like he always did when put off about something.

I couldn't help but face my brother, clearing my throat lightly to avoid giving my amusement away. Vegeta didn't bother, smirking openly at the android's display of coldness towards his rival.

The cyborg finally held Goku's gaze with reigned-in contempt, his voice sounding more robot-like than before. "I know your name. I was created solely to destroy you…" he changed his sights again, his apparent dislike for looking at Goku very… apparent. "Though I have chosen not to…"

How awkward.

A moment passed where the newsman addressed his microphone (the "fans") again, and I leaned over slightly to grab Vegeta's Cell-locked attention, if only for a moment. "Who's fighting first?" For a second I thought I hadn't penetrated his hypnotized focus, until he puffed up his chest in a haughty fashion.

There was a shadow of a smirk that crossed the Saiyan's face before he replied, "You need not worry, young sister. Your prince shall slay the beast." He spoke as softly as the deep gruffness of his voice would allow, probably trying to avoid being overheard by the others, but still managing to sound incredibly arrogant.

Yes, the noble prince saving the young, vulnerable princess… how lovely. 'More like… the _pigheaded_, prideful prince.' I let a sliver of a grin take my lips as well. 'Oh Vegeta…'

Shortly after that, Goku stepped forward, noticeably pumped up, but in a calm way… like he knew something. His demeanor was nothing short of confident as he cracked his fingers, the _crunch_ causing me to grimace, but smile nonetheless.

The orange-clad Saiyan proposed that _he_ go first, causing the others behind us to stir out of their grim silence. Trunks attempted to calmly shine some light on Goku's decision, but it didn't amount to much.

Goku turned to face the two of us, but I'd read his mind. "He's all yours—give him everything." I flashed him a smirk and a thumbs-up to show my support.

He nodded thankfully, his eyes then edging over slightly to Vegeta, who was back to staring Cell down. "What do you say, Vegeta?"

"Be my guest," his tone was a bit colder—it always was when directed at Goku. "We all know it will be _me_ who ends up finishing off Cell." Vegeta didn't even bother making eye contact. It made me wonder who hated Goku more…

Sixteen? …Vegeta? …_Broly_. I smiled dryly at the thought.

Broly… it had only been a few days… But... every morning since then, I still experienced the old wariness that I felt after waking up next to his slumbering, disgruntled form...

The humans in the ring began some uproar over Goku's decision, and before I knew it there had been three newcomers (two men and a woman, the males both attempting to take on Cell and failing miserably…), but it hardly fazed me. My mind was somewhere far, far away… through the river of time… on planet Narcola.

'Yeah, I remember that day.'

…

_"HIYAAAAA!" Yet again, Midori had knocked another brightly-colored alien out of the ring, her childish face glowing as she held both of her small fists high into the air, the crowd carrying on in a wild slur of cheers._

_The announcer hailed her enthusiastically for the thousands to hear. "And the ten year-old Saiyan from Yardrat takes another victory!" Narcolans were undyingly loyal to their own kind, and could often be seen booing foreigners, but the planet Yardrat was a good neighbor; Narcolans around the globe were intrigued by the child from the newly extinct warrior race that the Yardats had raised as their own._

_When the next contestants were entering the ring, Midori was making her way across the sidelines, gazing up into the crowd in search of her older companion._

_It was a bit harder to search out Paragus' energy signal when he was amidst five thousand others. But finally, she spotted his tanned skin and spiky black hair, a stark contrast to the hairless, pink and purple aliens surrounding him in the audience._

_He had already locked gazes with her, and nodded his congratulations, a tiny smirk showing the pride he felt for the small lady._

_Midori couldn't help but give him one of her most radiant smiles, as only a child could rightly do, then scampered off into the lounge area._

_Behind the scenes she met her younger companion, Paragus' son, who happened to be only a few weeks older than her. "How's that, Broly? Pretty tough if I say so!"_

_The boy being addressed was sitting against a wall; his knees tucked into his chest, which cradled his head, his hands idly fumbling with his tattered boots. "Beating a weakling like that doesn't make you strong." He refused to make eye contact as he spoke "You will never catch up to me." His tone was emotionless, but still had a finalizing, icy edge to it that stung Midori._

_The Saiyan princess narrowed her eyes, preferring to let on annoyance rather than dejection. With that, she wheeled around, making a B-line toward the nearest exit._

_What she didn't realize was that there were two especially rough-looking males sneering at her the entire way._

_"Bloody Saiyans… they think they can just show up here and brutalize our people like this?"_

_"They're animals alright. Let's teach that monkey-child a lesson—what do you think?"_

_"Yeah…"_

_…_

_Midori had ordered a large basket of jarcun feet. The flesh was thick and juicy, and once all that was said and done (and enjoyed), the claws of the animal could be used to pick the meat out of one's teeth._

_So she sat alone, nibbling on the crispy-fried skin and tender meat in a secluded area outside of the arena, where only a few lonely vendors stood. They had just previously gone back to the stadium as well._

_"Well, what do we have here? A little ape all by herself."_

_Midori turned stupidly to look at her unannounced guest, a large hunk of the chewy jarcun foot dangling from her gritted teeth. She immediately slurped it down once she saw that the male and his partner did not want to have a friendly conversation._

I still shake my head whenever I think of those two men. Yes, Narcolans take pride in their race, and yes, they're harsh on foreigners… But Narcola is the sister planet to Yardrat. It's the culture that they really hold on to.

Since I was born and raised on Yardrat… I was one of them. One who could move as swiftly as the wind, at the speed of light if I desired. One to only use force if the occasion demanded so. One with a calm mind and body… just like the Narcolans. And that was why I was supported so by the people.

But in every race, there are those who are prejudice…

_"Whoa!" Midori gasped, fully taken by surprise._

_She was but a twirling, dodging mass as the two strangers came at her relentlessly, both of them oddly agile, despite the large amount of fat on their bodies, hanging over like jelly rolls from their faces and limbs._

_'I can't even attack them!' If Midori paused to retaliate against either of them, the other would readily take advantage of her weak spot._

_A roll here—a step-back there._

_'I can't do this forever!' She grit her teeth through the whistling blur of four fists aimed for her face. Then one of her feet hit an uneven surface, causing the young Saiyan to fall backwards. 'No!' her mouth hung open in shock as she made her way down, her heart and bodily functions momentarily frozen._

_But just milliseconds before Midori's back hit the hard floor, a green blast shot through the stomach of one of her pursuers, going straight over her; so close she could feel the heated wind whisk past her nose._

_A moment later she was staring at the grayish sky, the screams of her second attacker echoing in her ears. Then silence…_

_She was openly panting now, her arms and legs spread open across the dirt in a lazy, almost obscene manner._

_"Get up."_

_Midori's eyes strayed to the right where Broly stood stoically, as if nothing had happened._

_"You could have taken those two by yourself, why were you playing around like that?"_

_Midori finally sighed in defeat, sitting up to face him properly. "Thanks, Broly."_

_His mouth turned up in an offended fashion, as if she'd said something ridiculous._

..._  
_

It was always like that in the first few years. I'd try to be as strong as him, he'd berate me… underestimate me… then I'd get myself into a situation where he'd come to my rescue and he'd complain that I was stronger than whatever I was letting on…

I'd have to stop getting myself into predicaments soon after, though. The problems concerning his restraint really developed when he was about fourteen…

'Oh look—the hairy man is charging at Cell.' I concentrated hard again; maybe the human had been suppressing his energy before? 'No… he's definitely got as much power as I do in my pinky toe…' I winced slightly at the sight of Mr. Satan being flicked aside by Cell… into a mountain.

A silence as grand as… well… Mr. Satan's _defeat_ engulfed the arena. Everybody was shocked.

More like: one half shocked, the other half relieved (making snide comments in the background.)

I turned around slowly to face my brother and leaned to the side again, speaking low to avoid ruining the devastating moment. "So… is it our turn now?"

Before Vegeta could answer, there was finally a reaction from the crowd.

"He—he landed outside the ring!" The small announcer man (as well as the camera man and lady in pink) all stood in a stupor. "That means… our hero… has lost the battle!"

'Yes, now that that's over and done with…' I was also relieved as Cell immediately addressed the rest of us less ignorant participants.

"So…" his voice was chilled, with only the faintest hint of irritation lingering. "Let's get the tournament under way. Who will be first?" His eyes briefly darted across the crowd. "Will it be Goku to start things off?"

As I nibbled on my lower lip, I couldn't help but smile at the android's words, for what I knew they meant.

'I'm going to enjoy watching this…'

My eyes were glued to the referred Saiyan, taking in that confident form of his. He was… well, radiant at the moment. 'As odd as that sounds…'

"Let's do it." Those simple words would define the real start of the Cell Games.

As the Earth-raised Saiyan stepped into the ring's center to meet his opponent, I nudged Vegeta lightly with my elbow. He answered my gesture with an annoyed grunt. The prince looked especially stern at the moment—almost mad.

'He probably wants Goku to hurry up and finish.' I nudged Vegeta with my elbow again, my smile curving into a teasing pose. "You know this is going to be great." My toying was finally answered with a sudden painful elbow to the ribs. I let out and awkwardly surprised grunt, not anticipating Vegeta's move, then hurried to cover the noise up with an equally awkward cough. I could practically feel the crowd's eyes on my back.

'I'll just watch the match…'

Not that it had started yet. It was eerily quiet as the two opponents made pre-fight small talk. But I caught one thing that Goku mentioned: "I hear you're designed to use all of our techniques against us."

Huh.

The two then took up their fighting stances.

I turned slightly to face Trunks, my eyebrows furrowed in disbelief. "Is this true?"

The teen caught my eye for a second before nodding grimly. "Mmhm."

Wow. I hadn't known about that one. That certainly gave the android an array of techniques to use against Goku...

On the other side of the ring, Mr. Satan had crawled back to his comrades, face dripping with blood. There was an instant uproar by the other five humans, and I caught something about how he had "lost his footing" instead of… _heh_, being brushed aside.

Hehehe…

Apparently this wasn't so funny to my brother. "That ridiculous man hasn't realized his weakness!" Vegeta's face was that of honest shock. "His… stupidity is beyond belief!"

As the large and hairy Mr. Satan began laughing obnoxiously loud, I agreed with my bother, nodding slightly. "It's so sad how ignorant most Earthlings seem to be with these things…"

There was a sigh and a "Tell me about it" from somewhere behind me, sounding like Krillin.

The attention was back on the arena now as everyone on our side stepped closer to the ring's edge, near Vegeta and I; Trunks was just a few feet to my right. All of Goku's friends were voicing how amazed they were with his new-found strength. They weren't the only ones impressed.

'I got to see him in action… before most of those men behind me. That same strength should take him much farther here.'

The longer I kept my eyes on the super Saiyan, I could feel myself becoming more mesmerized. Goku seemed more true to our race at that moment than any other I'd seen. He was positioned in a flawless form, much like a giant orange predator concentrating on his prey. He was foreseeing the first blow more than anything else—then it would be like an intense, painful dance of joy. One that involved a partner, and fists and feet being lodged in less than desirable places…

Yeah... _Heh_, nice analogy.

Cell finally smiled that creepy, emotionally sterile smile of his. "Ding."

Goku was off in an orange streak, making it across the ring like bullet. One kick, one punch, both caught and brushed off.

Cell copied this and was easily dodged. The android attempted to sweep kick Goku, who flipped back and away—then he was out of sight.

'That's a nice speed he's got going.' My eyes flickered over to Cell where Goku then appeared, attempting a blow from behind.

Cell easily caught the elbow aimed at his head, and flung Goku over his shoulder. The Saiyan flipped again, not wasting any time to charge on the android.

Then they were locked in hand-to-hand combat. That didn't last long as there was now a good thirty feet between them.

'They can't seem to make up their minds…' I sighed softly "That's the annoyance of warm ups…" Trunks turned at my words as if to remind me that I'd actually said that out loud, but simply stared for a moment before turning back to the "fight".

Android 16 suddenly spoke, "Their strength appears to be equal."

'Hmmm… good scanners on that one, indeed.'

Cell took the initiative to charge this time, and the two were back at their little spat.

'There he goes…' Goku had floated up into the air, and then flitted out of sight, leaving Cell by himself in the ring to feel out his adversary's energy.

A second or two later, Cell was ever so casually blocking punches and kicks. He soon grew tired of this (as would I have) and shot a leg out, successfully kicking Goku back, who preformed another back flip—

'… someone's feeling acrobatic today.'

…and landed perfectly on his feet, smirking all the way.

I watched on silently as Goku used a tricky after-image to deter Cell's attention, and knock him clear out of the ring. 'Cell's about to hit the ground, too.' I narrowed my eyes, wondering when the droid would react.

The others behind me were already celebrating.

"Look—he's out!"

"He's right!"

I think it was Krillin, then the other orange-clad one.

Just as fast as ever, Cell had suspended himself in mid air, and like a rewinding film, brought himself back into the ring (feet first) until he was upright again. "Sorry," he had a delicate smirk as he crossed his arms. "But did you think you had defeated me?"

Goku relaxed his stance and stood at his full height, giving a short, dry laugh. "I won't fall for your cheap pranks. I knew all along that it wouldn't be that easy to take you out, Cell."

Oh no.

I gave a short, annoyed grunt, much like how the man to my right would have at any time. 'Now they're going to start talking.'

But at least they'd finally called each other out on not showing their full strength.

"Little by little I shall reveal to you…" Cell unfolded his arms, speaking in a slightly more dramatic tone than before, "The perfect power that lies within me!"

Goku took up a stance once more, voice cool and—_sigh_…oh so sexy: "Bring it on…"

Sexy? Did I just think that?

I shook my head slightly, inclining it to hide a resilient smirk. 'I can't help it if I'm attracted to the alpha male… it's only Saiyan nature.'

And the fighting re-commenced.

My eyes were in constant shift, keeping up with the quicker pace of the fight. 'Now this is more like it…' They had taken to the skies, darting left and right, neither really landing a hit on the other, but moving quite fast nonetheless.

But, some of the others were having a harder time staying on them.

Yamcha (I think) was the first, "Their speed—it's incredible!"

Then Tien (right?) willingly agreed, "I can't keep up!"

Trunks gave a small gasp as he watched on, mouth gaping.

I glanced at him for a moment, until a deep chuckle pulled my gaze to the opposite side where my brother stood, smirking up at the speedy clash. 'I wonder what's on his mind…'

Hmm... Goku and Cell were getting mighty close…

No sooner than I thought that had there been a small explosion, dust and debris racing past all of our waistlines, wind sweeping our hair astray.

I turned around automatically, and there they were: Cell floating a mere few feet above the dirt—outside of the ring, and Goku throwing punch after punch at his guarded chest.

And then they were stories above the ring again. Hand-locked, neither opponent dared to make a move. That is, until Goku leaned back just enough to give Cell a stomach full a feet, teleport above him and slam the android straight back down into the ring.

Of course, seeing as the two were still playing around, the _Great Green One_ was easily able to right himself, just before Goku shot down to meet him like a golden bolt of lightning.

I narrowed my eyes as the fight continued. It seemed to go on forever. Goku would let it seem as if Cell had the upper hand, than turn the tables. Cell would do the same thing right after. 'Why is Goku allowing this to go on?'

It seemed his son had read my mind: "But how come?" Trunks regarded Gohan's question with a confused noise. "How come dad isn't taking this seriously?" the younger Saiyan elaborated.

Vegeta laughed to himself again, so I seized the moment to ask, "It seems like their just sparring, doesn't it?"

Above us, I could hear Goku launching his Kamehameha, but didn't bother looking as I could feel that there wasn't much energy behind it.

He nodded slowly to my inquiry, still smirking. Maybe he thought this was funny? I was growing tired of it.

'But maybe that's just me… I hardly ever fought for the fun of it when I was younger. Especially not as an adult.'

I barely noticed it when the two had returned to the ring's surface until the light show began.

I couldn't help it, "Whoa!" Goku had unleashed his energy, completely startling me. I ignored my sibling's cold stare as I watched on in awe. It was that super Saiyan aura that really got me. It was so bright and warm, almost welcoming; but it quickly reminded me of it's danger as red streaks of electricity shot their way around him. It was exactly like Goku himself, the more I thought about it: gentle yet fierce…

And then there was an explosion of red light. One hand shot up to cover my eyes against the harsh glow and sandy wind as Goku's glowing energy filled the arena. 'Amazing!'

A few seconds later I could finally let my hand rest, as I squinted at the bright super Saiyan before me.

My eyes had barely adjusted when it was Cell's turn to power up. "Ugh!" I had to shield my eyes again, this time too slow to stop a bit of debris from entering them.

Roughly thirty seconds later I was able to completely relax and resume watching.

'Their power-levels… they're… still the same?' It was hard to tell, even when Goku stood a mere five feet away from the android. As they fought on, I could definitely see the increase in both of them. Even Vegeta seemed a bit thrown off. Where had they gotten all that strength? The two were landing heavier blows and moving much faster than before.

This was going to be a show to remember...

* * *

**Phew, college is bustin' my balls**.** This is like 3 weeks late, but I doubt I'm keeping a whole lot of people waiting xD;;**


	10. Down Hill, That Is

**Chapter 10: The fight continues**

**A few close calls for more than just the people in the ring, and**** Goku makes a crazy decision! Not that you all don't already know xD Feel free to scroll about halfway down this chapter if you've seen the Goku VS Cell episodes a thousand times like I have! (mostly for the making of this fanfic...)  
**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing except Midori and Lattice... who's been mentioned a couple times already, right?**

* * *

As the two contenders took yet another break, I remembered something:

"Hey," I started out to nobody in general, "Didn't Cell say he has all of your fighting techniques?" I turned to the rest of the gang, who all gazed back with a renewed shock, as if also remembering.

"LUCKY FOUR!" Cell's exclamation caused an immediate ruckus.

"He can't be!" Shouted Tien.

"I don't know!" was Yamcha's reluctant reply.

Krillin and Trunks were actually at the ring's edge now, gripping its corner.

As I turned back to the ring, the sight I beheld caused both my brows to rise considerably, for there were now FOUR Cells facing Goku down. I watched on with a shifty gaze as Cell moved all of himself to each corner of the ring. 'Well, I should have kept my mouth closed, now shouldn't I?' It was a bit nerve-wracking to watch him take on all of those androids at once, but as they fought on I'd learned that their power levels should have been greatly decreased. It made sense.

There was now a theme: Use all of Goku's friend's attacks against him. Cell and his copies fired Piccolo's Special Beam Cannon. And, even after Goku had knocked him back into the ring so hard that Cell was back to his singular self, the android unleashed what looked like Krillin's Destructo Disc (they weren't sure).

'Gods. To think all these attacks came from the men behind me… They're all amazing techniques… but I guess Cell just makes them more dangerous.'

Goku had passed each trial with flying colors (hahaha…), but was taken aback, as were the rest of us when Cell decided to launch one final attack. The android had his hands cupped together at waist level; he was concentrating his energy—a whole _lot_ of it!

I took a large step back. "Is he _crazy?_" I glanced around at the men beside me; I wasn't the only one surprised.

"KA… MEEE…"

Don't tell me…

Goku had caught on as well. "No! You can't put that much power into the Kamehameha!" he held a hand out in vain. "It's too dangerous!"

"HAAA… MEEEE…"

Oh shit.

Vegeta was the first to fully react, "He'll kill us all!" backing up as I had done. I didn't blame him one bit.

"HAAAAAAAAAA!"

I yelped as the blue energy approached, ducking immediately. And not a second too soon as the monstrous energy beam shot right at us, swerving and barely missing our heads. All I could hear was the wild whistle as it shot off, shaking the ground with its might.

Soon the deafening noise faded... so I cracked an eye open to see if the coast was clear. With no immediate danger, I jumped up to witness the last remnants of the blast exiting Earth's atmosphere… _Wow_. That could have ended up ugly. I guess Goku had led the Kamehameha off course.

'_Heh_... Nice save, Goku.' I could only hope he would keep the upper edge.

It wasn't long before the two were back to business, but it was different this time… Goku wasn't dealing so well. Cell was moving remarkably faster, teleporting in and out, landing all the right blows, leaving Goku a confused mess in the center of the ring. Even _I_ was becoming dizzy as the android moved across the arena in random patterns. 'He's trying to throw Goku off; I think it's working…'

I heard him mutter "Where is he?" and it suddenly hit me: the others couldn't see Cell at all! He was moving too fast for them!

Sure enough as I glanced back, the others simply stood, watching Goku as he attempted to lock onto the machine.

Uh-oh. "Goku—behind you!" Just as I'd exclaimed _behind_, the green menace appeared out of thin air.

The Saiyan rounded on his foe, a mixture of shock and anger on his face.

...

Even more time passed, and Goku's performance was steadily declining bit by bit; Cell was clearly overtaking him with his speed. With each echoing blow my eyebrows lowered and my frown deepened. I probably looked just like Vegeta. It was almost painful, watching the fight go on as it did. 'Goku… I know you have the strength to finish this… if only I could lend you my speed.' It would make things even: If Cell could use the other's abilities, why couldn't Goku borrow my swiftness? If only…

I cringed slightly as Cell delivered and unexpectedly hard blow to his face, the _SLAM_ of it not going unheard to the rest of us. The battle was going downhill, fast. It was all Goku could do to keep up with the android's pace now—and the damage he dished out was equally, if not _more_ received.

'I don't know much about androids, but I have a feeling that they don't tire out as easily as mortals…' I could see it: the way Goku's chest heaved with every move, every breath he took. I closed my eyes to concentrate; I'd picked up some unique abilities from a psychic planet back in the day, allowing one to sync their nervous system with another's. The technique had been intended for more… intimate situations, but it worked regardless for what I had in mind: I could see exactly what kind of shape my ally was in…

The more I focused on his aura, the more I felt my body start to change according to his. 'Kais… he's going to wear himself out!' I could feel his chest expanding painfully as his lungs preformed raggedly from abuse. 'Goku wasn't built for that kind of speed, he'll be down for the count within the next thirty minutes, there's no question about it.'

As Saiyan and android took a brief recess high above the arena, I could feel the slight tremble behind each raspy breath Goku took. His hands were jittery, but he hid it well by clenching them as tightly as they would allow, like he was trying to strangle the air flow between his digits. His mouth moved to utter a few simple words, and I could feel him stall his breathing, trying desperately not to show how exhausted he was; his poor heart knocked against his chest in protest.

My own heart ached for Goku, and with the combined feelings of his fatigue with my own mental discomfort, I could no longer take it; I pulled my mind back, the transfer leaving me in a semi-dazed state as it always did. But as I left, I felt the trailing sensation of his heart skipping a beat.

"HEEEY! GET _AWAY_ FROM THE RING—NOOOW!"

_What?_

For a brief second I turned back to the skies, catching Goku's tiny, but distinctively alarmed gaze .

My head snapped to the left: Vegeta was already turning, his eyes wide with realization.

_KA-BOOOOM_

My cries were lost to the shrill wind and flying sediment as the marble ring imploded before me. There was no time for me to prepare for something like that; I did only what my reflexes commanded: My hands shot up, as if they alone would guard me from the giant slabs of rock being spewed in every direction.

In the initial explosion, as the outer edge of the ring erupted it seemed I would meet my fate: _stoned_ to death by Cell's marble ring.

Harsh words wafted around my ears; something like: _Toma, you fool! Move! _These words did not register to me, as I was busy focusing on the approaching hail of boulders about to reach their closest target—_me. _With several _CHINK_-s and _BAM_-s_, _I stood my ground as they ricocheted harmlessly within a few feet's diameter of my body. After a ground-shaking minute passed, I eased my arms away from my face, the dust settling before my eyes to reveal a crater much larger than the arena had been... just feet away from my location.

"… That's what I get for not paying attention," I grumbled, still hearing light taps above me from the leftover pebbly debris. I then turned slowly to address the rest of the group with a sheepish smile. Through the hazy force field I'd conjured, I could see that my comrades had scattered… _quite_ a safe distance away. Vegeta glowered in the background, his glare almost as dark as his naturally untameable hair… 'I think my prince is directing that one at me.' My guilty smile turned apologetic.

Soon, though, the others drew closer as Goku and Cell drifted back to land. There was still a fight to be finished…

'And Cell isn't taking any more time to rest…' I noticed grimly. Goku had barely enough time to stand from stretching before he was chased away by a bombardment of ki, explosions, and smoke.

By now we had all regrouped along the edge of a cliff. Our previous posts were no longer fit for a peanut gallery.

A startling, thunderous _BOOM_ and flash signaled two attacks colliding; the sheer force of the raw energy shook the ground beneath us.

I silently thanked the upper beings that Goku and Cell weren't as close as they were prior to the ridding of the arena. 'Thank goodness I'm not epileptic, either!' I thought through squinted eyes.

I finally spotted the two: locked hand in hand, the ground still quivering in their wake. Both opponents were giving off a bright yellow aura. Trunks made a breathless comment of how Goku and Cell were evenly matched in both speed and power.

'He may just be right on that one…' Had Goku received a last minute adrenaline boost?

I shifted from one leg to another; the vibrations traveling up my legs had become quite trying. 'I should get used to it…' I decided with a lopsided frown. But never mind how I felt; I could barely see through all the levitating rocks!

…Ouch!

I cringed again as Goku took a particularly brutal blast to the face. What had that been about? He had plenty of time to—

A streak of gold shot from the smoke, high into the sky—

_Oh, _a diversion!

Sure enough, Cell hadn't quite comprehended until Goku was floating _incredibly_ far above him (and us).

'Of course he would have to fly up into the bloody sun!' I squinted my eyes again in real pain that time, one hand not quite enough to shield my mistreated eyes. 'Why is he just hovering like that?'

Krillin spoke my exact thoughts a moment later: "Look—_Goku_... He's way up there… Hey, what's he doing?"

I finally caught a good angle with my hand where I could see him… cupping his hands together…

He wouldn't.

"_KAAAA… MEEEE…_"

He couldn't!

Piccolo took this moment to warn us, "Everyone get down! Take cover—get moving!" though not a soul heeded his words. "Goku's releasing the Kamehameha!"

Ha!_ Indeed!_

Krillin seemed to be okay though. "Aw, just relax guys," he said as I turned to face his easy, almost triumphant stance. "Goku's crazy, but he's not that crazy!"

I could feel Goku channeling his energy as Krillin continued to assure us there was nothing to worry about.

"_HAAAAAAAAA…MEEEEEEE…"_

Even Cell gave a small, nervous laugh, refusing to believe that Goku would _destroy the whole planet_.

'Does he even know what he's doing? Because that's what'll happen if he launches that attack from a mile up!' Was this supposed to be one of those _If you can't beat 'em, join em _sort of moments? Join them in _death?_ What kind of humor was _that?_

"No, don't do it!" Gohan called out in vain. I doubted his father could hear him; I could just barely hear Goku's voice drifting down to us. "Please dad—don't!"

Krillin was making hysterical noises now. Vegeta had backed up again, eyes flickering between fear and anger. I stood my ground, because something told me he was trying to trick us. He had to be.

_"I plan on beating him. I can't let him destroy my home," he answered gravely; a sort of determination rang strong in his voice._

I remembered the words he'd used before the final battle with Broly. He had held such passion in his eyes—his voice. If he could utter those words in such a way, then _how_ could he be planning to annihilate the one thing he strove to protect? His family? His friends?

But still he fed startling amounts of ki into his hands. There would be no way to simply hold on to something that intense for much longer…

'Wait!' My breath caught in my throat as I felt the familiar sensation of an aura flitting from one location to another in the blink of an eye. '…Yes!'

I knew it!

My hand fell slowly, but my head snapped back down as quickly as non-self-injuring as possible. And there he was! Right in front of Cell!

"YES!" I threw my hands up into the air with wild, giddy abandon.

"_HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!" _Away went Cell, vanishing in the bright, white light of Goku's screechingly loud bomb of an attack, the others around me black silhouettes behind the glow.

"EXCELLENT!" I cheered despite the strain of being heard through the harshest winds yet, flying rocks, and flashes that brought a tear to the eye. Why hadn't I thought of the instant transmission? I latched on to nearest person, who I assumed was Trunks, and through gritted teeth, in a victorious sort of growl, I exclaimed: "_Yes_—I love it!" with one fist balled and shaking in Goku's direction.

"Idiot, get off of me!" I was shoved roughly away a moment later, the familiar voice of my brother attached to the irritated shun.

I stumbled back a few steps, my cheeks flushed with the utmost mortification. Had I really done all that to Vegeta just now? As the thick dust cleared, I realized that the only thing I could do to regain any ounce of self-respect was to clear my throat and stand properly. "Yes… a superb stratagem in the heat of battle."

I took that next moment to scan over the surroundings. For miles around, the terrain had turned to rubble; it was a complete wasteland. And in the mountain's jagged and crumbling depths was Goku, standing stoically over Cell's remains—a pair of legs and half a torso.

…

…

Where had the day gone wrong? Hadn't Goku just launched the finishing move? Half an hour later, the tables had been turned so abruptly, there were no words to describe the emotional medley I was experiencing. It all started when Krillin gasped, the moment after Goku's supposedly fatal attack:

"_GET AWAY FROM HIM, GOKUUU!" Krillin's usually medium voice bellowed across the cliffs, out to the targeted Saiyan. "CELL IS GONNA REGENERATE HIMSELF!"_

After that, the rest of the struggle was for naught. Goku had put most of his energy into his attack and could no longer defend himself against the speckled abomination.

It had taken twenty-eight minutes for Goku to come to terms with his weakness—

"_You're right about one thing, Cell!" Goku's audibly exhausted voice drifted back to my sensitive ears. "The world does want to see—"_

_...And like a candle being blown out, the bright, golden glow that was undeniably super Saiyan, wisped away, leaving him exposed to the cold outside world._

_"…a real champion."_

—And just two minutes to announce his submission.

There was an array of hushed astonishment among the other males.

I couldn't believe… I _didn't _know what to believe! A moment ago, I had been certain that I was about to watch Goku fight honorably to the death. The weight on my chest had been much heavier than I would've liked to admit, because… _because_… _Gah! _How could he just give up?

'He can't be serious!' I was starting to breath heavy now, my eyes glued to the blonde Saiyan as he stood up straight, like some great pressure had been removed from his shoulders (and placed on _ours_), smiling softly. 'This better be another trick, Goku, I swear..!'

But his words shattered my hopes: "It's over, Cell! You win."

No…

"I give up!"

_No!_

"I know how strong you are. There's no point continuing this fight, I can't beat you!" That last statement hit not only Vegeta like a brick ("You… coward!"), but Cell as well. The android stood angered and appalled.

I tried desperately to construct half-sensible reasons as to why Goku had just handed over an entire planet—one with all his friends and family—over to a wicked cyborg!

Goku continued on in that _obnoxiously _composed voice of his: "You know, I wasn't sure when I came here today that I'd have what it takes to beat you… I know now that I don't."

Murmurs from our crowd muffled the next part of his speech, but I cared less and less to hear what he had to say. Even Cell laid into the Saiyan for his surrender.

But one thing caught my ear: "There's still one person for you to fight!"

Instinctively, I faced my brother who met me with just as much confusion.

After a small eternity filled with banter, Goku turned his easy, almost smug eyes to the cliff, and called out to us…

"That someone is you… son."

This time I didn't care if Vegeta pushed me away when I grabbed his shoulder with one hand, my other hovering millimeters from my parted lips. He hardly noticed as he muttered Goku's true name in disbelief. Certainly, we had heard wrong!

Goku flew up to us, landing just below Vegeta and I (we were slightly apart from the rest) to address Gohan and the others. It was odd, seeing him so close up, even if it was just his backside, after an hour or more of watching him dart across an open landscape.

I didn't need to see his face; I could hear his smile as he asked almost tenderly, "You can do it, right?"

My eyes fastened onto Gohan's uncertain form all through Goku's constant insisting and Piccolo's verbal abuse. He was so hesitant in his replies that it made me ponder the idea of both adults representing the two conflicting sides of his young mind.

Piccolo was the voice of reason: Cell would tear into Gohan without mercy or scruples. The android would finish him off with ease—because he was a _child_.

Goku was the voice of wishful thought: Gohan had been asked to save the world. To slay the beast that Goku, Earth's established champion, had failed to. He could certainly do it, because he had some sort of _hidden_ _potential_ that _obviously_ made him stronger than Cell!

Gohan was a bothered mess, whilst Goku urged him on so reassuringly it almost made me sick.

I felt as if a ghostly hand had reached into my chest and squeezed tight around my thumping heart. I was about to watch a young boy fight what would undoubtedly be a bloody battle, and it reminded me of my own child, and his untimely death. It didn't matter how different the roles were; Gohan was being put in the line of a monster, just as my son had been for his short three years.

Something inside me snapped as I watched the small half-Saiyan blast into the air, up like a golden fountain, then down like a blazing comet. His energy was so radiant and youthful… He had his whole life ahead of him... I _couldn't_ let him end up like my son!

"Goku!" I took me one short leap to bypass my brother, then Piccolo, and land nimbly in front of my target. He met my sharp gaze with his frequented wide-eyed stare. I didn't bother with chitchat or personal space as I moved close to him, speaking desperately, "Please reconsider—_please!_" Maybe my motherly nature would make him see the light.

Six other pairs of eyes were now watching me with confusion and curiosity, but two of them already knew of my inner turmoil. Goku's surprise melted into sympathy. He smiled softly, replying, "I never got to say… I'm sorry for your loss… both of them."

So he did remember...

"_Look, my love… doesn't the boy remind you of Lattice?"_

_Midori moved from behind Goku to stand in front of Gohan, glaring hard at the offending Saiyan. "Broly, you wouldn't dare!" She could hardly believe he had the nerve to mention… _him_…_

_"Do you think… he would have grown up to be such a fine young man?"_

_Midori bared her teeth and growled, blinking her eyes rapidly so that the unshed tears would _stay_ unshed. "He would have if you hadn't killed him, you insane bastard!"_

_Goku looked at her, his eyebrows furrowed, as Broly threw his head back and laughed._

But Goku was including the loss of my mate, despite my ill will towards Broly anyway…

"Midori," he spoke up in a brighter tone. "You don't have to worry—"

I stood with parted lips as he spoke, my eyes gradually narrowing.

"…about that happening here. I know—"

My hands were clenched around the fabric of his orange outerwear before he could finish speaking, issuing a few outcries from the small crowd as I shook him roughly once. "You _know_ that you're sending your son to die! Are you _out_ of your mind?" I pulled him in closer (my nose was level with the bottom of his) as I bared my canines in instinctual anger, but forced myself to speak low. "Gohan's blood won't just be on Cell's hands, it'll be on _yours_ as well."

The entire time, Goku observed me with a strained smile. Finally, he managed to pry my hands off of him and reply quietly, "Please," maneuvering one of my hands in his as he brought it up to my face, "Have faith in my son…" and brushed away a newly shed tear with my own thumb.

I was speechless for a moment as he held my wrists gingerly. In my ears I could hear my own blood pumping hard. I then blinked a few times, before tearing my hands away, my expression beyond disbelief. I didn't bother returning the offered smile as I turned around slowly, and, one long leap later, was standing next to my brother again.

'_Ugh_, I didn't just _cry_ in front of him, did I?' I glanced to my left...

Vegeta seemed more subdued than before, only because he knew the most of my past, but I could see in his eyes he had thought my outburst unnecessary. A few of the humans muttered their confusion amongst themselves, but the spectacle was long forgotten as Goku made his next move.

Having received a Senzu bean from Krillin, Goku called out, "Hey Cell—catch!" and tossed the small, edible healer straight into the hands of the enemy.

Krillin almost fell over from shock (as did I). "_Hey!_"

Our unsuccessful hero _kindly _explained exactly what he'd just passed onto Cell and why he had felt the need to do so ("It just wouldn't be fair if Gohan beats him when he isn't at his best!"), as the rest of us floundered in our well-worn incredulity.

I was the one growling instead of my brother that time. 'That fool!' I took a step forward just as Vegeta's sharp voice stopped me, calling that foreign word again: "Toma!"

I rounded on him with a raised brow. "You said it again…" I had not paid much attention the first time (_Toma, you fool! Move!)_, but now it had caught my attention. "That isn't… the name I was to be given?" I inquired, ignoring Cell as he powered up briefly in the background.

Vegeta responded gruffly, "You should be proud."

The next thing I knew, a tornado of sand had sprung up in the middle of the battleground, unexpectedly dispersing to reveal— "Gohan?"

_Amazing._ Not a second later, my hair was going for a ride on the wind; his power-level was… _Wow_. How had I not noticed it before? Great warm energy waves washed over me in a soothing way that nearly had me letting my guard down. But I remembered right away what he was facing: Gohan was shockingly powerful for his age, but he was underage nonetheless. 'So Goku _was_ right about him being strong… I just hope it's enough to keep him alive.' I swallowed hard.

Cell landed lightly behind Gohan after the energy display. And then they took to the skies.

My eyes darted to-and-fro as they dodged in and out. This lasted a minute or two until finally, Cell decided to end the warm-up. The android had already been there and done that with Goku. I could only flinch as the poor boy was seized by the collar and punched repeatedly in the face, then drop-kicked mercilessly to the ground below.

But... he _seemed_ well-off as he emerged from the smoke in a battle-ready stance, more serious than I'd ever seen him.

Round two started off with a bang: The whole canyon was lit up by Cell; Gohan jumping, evading, and rolling to avoid being crispy-fried meat.

'Kais, I can't watch anymore of this…' I averted my eyes to something less perverse—my feet, as Cell began beating into Gohan once more. Through my peripheral vision, a tiny purple dot was sent crashing through solid rock. I could sense the child was okay… but he wasn't making an effort to move.

Most of the others took this as a mark for the worst, and Piccolo began screaming at Goku, "Your son's dead, Goku! HE'S DEEEEAD!" hoping to break through the Saiyan's thick skull.

'He's definitely not dead,' I thought, my eyes betraying me as I caught a glimpse of Gohan emerging from the ruins in a flashy demonstration. 'But he would have been better off staying down there…'

He approached Cell with meaning in his gait. 'He's like a little man.' I couldn't help the smile that broke through as I noted the intensity burning in his eyes. Even looking at him—the way he was now, it was becoming harder to believe he was only ten years old… or eleven, if counting his time in the Chamber…

They stood for a long time after that, conversing silently about who knew what. Nearly seven minutes later, Cell broke out into hearty laughter. I doubted Gohan had been telling jokes… 'What could he be laughing at down there?' Possibly the destruction of the Earth, I realized, as Cell began pummeling Gohan across the rocky field. First knocking him to the ground, and then using his hard-plated foot to squish the child's face into the rugged floor.

I looked away again, feeling queasy. I could feel the hammer-down that followed, a short comeback, then even more hammering. 'Gohan better find that hidden potential fast…' His agonizing screams were getting to me. 'Or he'll be ripped to pieces,' I silently agreed with Piccolo as he took his frustrations out on the boy's father. I had heard of the Namekian's bond with Gohan from Trunks, and felt for Piccolo.

To that, Goku countered, "Wait until he has no choice: and then, when Gohan is backed into a corner with no way out, he'll awaken his furious inner strength." A short pause… "And when that happens… You watch—Gohan will break Cell down once and for all!" With those words, I finally turned to face Goku, who had moved to the far side of the group on slightly higher terrain, Piccolo glowering behind him. Judging by the look on Vegeta's face, I could tell the prince was also having a hard time believing in the theory. Still, Goku maintained his prideful gaze over the nearly one-sided battle.

His words had been somewhat poetic… but would it actually happen? Certainly not while Gohan was being crushed to death in Cell's arms!

Piccolo had seen enough. He'd told Goku right off in my opinion: "He doesn't thirst for battle and mayhem! He's not a fighter like you!"

This tiny, and in my opinion, _apparent_ fact finally managed to bring Goku halfway down to Earth (figuratively speaking). What really brought him home were Piccolo's last few statements…

"Do you want to know… what he's thinking? He's not thinking about _strength_, or about _competition!_" he continued in a steadily rising tone, "HE'S WONDERING WHY HIS FATHER IS STANDING THERE, LETTING HIM DIE!"

I smiled in relief in what felt like forever when Goku whipped around, calling out to Krillin for another Senzu bean. Judging by his alarm, I could tell he would put it to good use that time around.

But then Gohan's body hit the ground…

And before we could properly exercise even more astonishment, Cell was flying up to us.

Two seconds later, he was in front of us.

One second later—the Senzu beans were in his hands.

My mouth had formed a perfect "o" shape as Cell flew casually back to where Gohan was now on his knees, leaving all of us on the cliffs stiff with anxiety. What could we do now? What would _Cell_ do now?

My primary question was answered immediately: A bright green blur passed my side view. "What was tha—_Sixteen?_"

The giant, redheaded android's shadow engulfed Cell from behind, just before he encased the insect-like cyborg in his iron grip. And of course, Cell hadn't been able to sense him coming!

But of course, the table would be kept in constant shift that day.

Android Sixteen proclaimed that he would self-destruct, taking his spotted-droid brother with him. Krillin, seemingly one to be on top of things, pointed out shakily—_despairingly_—that Bulma had removed the bomb embedded in Sixteen's chest.

I couldn't even form coherent thoughts as Cell reached around and all too easily blew the burly, green-armored android into a thousand metal pieces. After that, I could only watch with my lips parted, mouth slightly parched, eyes slowly widening, as the bizarre creature I'd come to know began giving _birth_ before my very eyes!

Gradually, my mouth upturned in disgust as one by one, eight blue masses shot out of Cell's retracted "tail" and hit the dirt. They began squirming, taking form, slowly rising to stand as they took their first breaths of Earth's oxygen.

'They look like miniatures of Cell!' I tried to even my breathing as my dear estranged friend, Dread, seized my shoulders from behind, and breathed horrible foreshadowing words down my neck, letting me know… that these new creatures couldn't be for Gohan, no… they were for the rest of us; all _eight_ of us.

/~/

* * *

***GASP* Do we all know what those eight things are..? Well you can find out next time... ON DRAGON...BALL.._.Z!_**

**Hahaha... **

**I proofread this so many times that I feel as if when I submit it, there will be some random chunk of writing missing o_o Or some random sentence really chopped up and awkward... I already know there will be some misspelled words and "too"s instead of "to"s. That shit always happens to me -_-**

** Also, totally JUST realized like months after choosing Midori's Saiyan name that "Toma" was one of Bardock's buddies in the DBZ Special (...right?) xD Ooops... Well then that just gives Midori something to poke at later, I guess...  
**


	11. Almost Is Horrifying

**Chapter 11: Things are getting reeeally ugly for the gang... Someone better ascend before it gets too late!**

**Disclaimer: You already know it.**

* * *

_In a throng of elfin-eared, Mohawked people, one foreigner staggered through them, searching desperately for a resting place. She eventually spotted a stone bench in a shaded area against a small hovel made of the same substance._

'_Gods, what's wrong with me?' Midori sat down shakily on another public bench for what seemed like the hundredth time in the previous two hours. Through droopy eyes, she watched the hustle and bustle of the primitive marketplace around her._

_It had been a solid week since Midori had received a blood transfusion from _Broly_ of all people. Being a Saiyan, she had recovered easily enough by day three; she was already up to light sparring with Paragus. But when day five arrived, Midori noticed herself behaving a bit differently. It had started with signs anyone would overlook: irritability._

_But of course, the fourteen year old Saiyan blamed her snappiness on fatigue. There was nothing out of the ordinary wrong with her at the time… she'd just have to force herself to rest more._

'_So why,' Midori pondered on day seven '…do I feel so horrible?' she let out a shuddering breath as she leaned forward slowly, elbows barely keeping her propped up on her knees. On the inside, her heart was thumping unrelentingly hard against her chest, despite attempts to calm the rapidly beating muscle._

_A few natives observed Midori with concern as they passed by; in the few seconds they entered and exited her area, they eyed the slumped girl who stared straight at the dirt between her feet, with her mouth hung open despite not being out of breath._

'_Just… relax.' Her mouth and eyes slid shut as she put effort into taking deep, even breaths. 'Block out the noise around you…'_

_But life continued on as noisily as ever. In fact, as the beating drum in Midori's chest echoed through her ears and blood rushed through her veins in an increasingly painful rate, the moderate murmurs surrounding her began shouting, _screaming_._

_One curious man approached the now panting Saiyan as she clutched her chest through the thick, long-sleeved tunic she wore. "Miss, are you feeling okay?" this simple, lightly-toned question struck at Midori's ears in an explosively high pitch, causing her to flinch violently away from the him, her back hitting the stone wall inches behind her._

_This display alarmed the good citizen, who moved closer to inspect Midori. "Do you need medical attention?"_

_Midori's eyes snapped open, moving wildly over the male's face_—_then past him, where more natives had paused the producer-consumer cycle to see what the matter was._

'_What's happening to me?' It was as if her insides were fighting to jump out of her skin. She breathed heavily, her chest noticeably heaving as more concerned bystanders began to surround her. 'I can't take this anymore!' The patron's voices screeched at her, the blood in her body gushed excruciating through vessels too small, and the _world_ was spinning._

_Midori finally stood, using the wall behind her for support. "I… I can't—I…" Her bangs covered most of her face at the angle she hung her head._

"_I'm a doctor… Please, young lady... just come with m—" An ear-splitting scream from his person of inquiry stopped the man as his eyes widened in shock._

_His words were left hanging in the air as Midori moved faster than most could see. Her fang-like canines fully exposed, eyes bulging, she leapt onto the unsuspecting doctor and plunged her fist into his open mouth and out through the back of his skull._

_The onlookers close behind the newly deceased man were sprayed with his blood and spattered with flecks of brain. It took a full three seconds of astonished silence for the first person to scream in horror. Utter chaos ensued; People ran for their lives, shrieked, cried, and hollered._

_Midori caught one thing through the storm of needle-point painful screeches: "HER EYES—HER EYES!" She then proceeded to grab the closest being, unconsciously powering up and blasting the poor sap into the next world. The corners of her line of sight were slowly filling with red until it was all she saw._

_It didn't make sense that the townspeople were running towards her; she would just pluck them from the fray and tear them apart with her bare hands. Or… maybe _she_ was the one running to them..?_

_Her bloodied vision suddenly became darker, her ragged breathing and growling drowning out the screams of the citizens until she could no longer see, or feel. Everything went black…_

…

_ …_

"_Midori… I know you're not sleeping, open your eyes."_

_As if being summoned awake by her name, Midori did indeed respond as commanded, and was met with a disconcerted looking Broly. He stood over her sprawled form, his faintly tanned features stark against the gloomy sky; a light drizzle had begun._

_His soft voice drifted in one ear and out the other as her eyes shifted over the deserted scenery: "I can't imagine what these people did to make _you_ do this... I don't really care. Your energy... it's being drained…" his voice faded into an indistinguishable echo as Midori's eyes widened in panic._

_She could barely bring herself to move, regardless of the lack of pain. Her body had become incredibly heavy… But that was far from her concerns._

'_I did this?' Her head rolled laggardly to the side where her left cheek rested in the mud. Blood-painted walls invaded her sight; dead bodies littered the square, some even within arms reach. But her heart wouldn't pick up on the distress her brain tried desperately to communicate. "What—why—how could I?" She breathlessly demanded to an invisible being that would not answer her as Broly knelt down to pick his senseless, rambling companion up and bring her back to his father._

_Soon after that incident, Midori would fall into a short-lived coma, waking up later, feeling as if none of the previous ailments had ever occurred..._

* * *

"_GUYS_—" Goku shouted as Cell's miniatures flew straight at the cliffs—at _us. _"BE ON GUARD, THEY'RE ALL INCREDIBLY STRONG!"

Vegeta took the initiative to transform, letting out a fierce battle cry as I powered up alongside him. Three long seconds later, I was finally faced with one of the giggling, shrieking, child-like copies of Cell.

My brother attacked right away, and no sooner did I follow his lead, adrenaline keeping me from standing stupefied any longer.

At first, it seemed all too easy. I pounced on the tiny, blue android, nailing it on the very top of its armored head with my fist. As it fell forward from the blow, I moved quickly behind it and swung my leg; my foot sent it skidding across the cliff's surface. Jumping toward the motionless "Cell Junior", I landed lightly with a smirk. But then something snagged my attention:

Glancing left and right, I noticed just how the rest of the men were fairing. They were struggling and on the defense... each and every one of them…

I turned back to my foe a moment later and saw blue as my forehead erupted in pain—"Aagh!" It was as if I had taken a hammer to the face! I was sent hurtling back from the _worst_ head-butt I'd ever known (and hopefully would _ever_ know). My back hit the floor hard, both hands cradling my surely cracked skull. '_Fuck!_' But I couldn't nurse myself for long; despite my swimming vision, I rolled to the side, and a dark form lodged itself in the now cracked ground where I had been laying.

Up on my knees, I squinted at the small creature; it removed its legs from the earth as it carried on like someone who had just heard a great joke. Its laugh was high pitched and wild—grating on the nerves.

There was a small wildfire spreading across my forehead, but that didn't stop me from charging the little creep as he unstuck himself. 'He's not fast enough to avoid _this_—' I raced forward, and just as my outstretched hand was inches from the mini's neck, it ducked low, then plowed upwards, both fist slamming into my stomach.

It was all I could do to keep from throwing up as I was sent into the sky.

I eventually caught myself in midair, doubled over and watching with shaky legs as the Cell Junior snickered up at me from a dozen meters below. I managed to wheeze out to myself, "You would think these things were weak…" After all, weren't they a part of Cell? When he'd split himself into four, he had split his power into four parts. There were _eight _of those things!

I growled openly as my opponent came at me. "This shit doesn't make any sense!" I quickly dodged the tiny fist aimed at my face, and continued to do so, in time making it back down to the cliff. But the more I evaded, the harder it became to do so—the Junior was tiring me out as I moved close to top speed— (I was also surrounded by _fourteen_ other fighters…very cramped), and my combatant was becoming less jovial; he expressed this by finally catching me firmly on the right cheek with his tiny fist, sending me spinning backwards through the air and flat on my back again.

'Kais, these little bastards know how to pack a punch!' I could already feel my neck stiffening up, which was much more bothersome than a soon-to-be bruised cheek.

Somehow I was on my feet again, one hand on the base of my neck, knees slightly bent. How many blows had I received? Surely not enough to have me _this_ exhausted! 'Damn it…' I took a step back as it approached me, mockingly slow. A second later, something firm made contact with my back, causing me to gasp, but… 'It's just Goku.' I knew he must've been in worse shape than me (I distinctly remember seeing Tien and Yamcha intercepting two Juniors for him), but was glad to have him there anyway.

"This is crazy…" was his winded greeting as he pressed his back more firmly into mine.

"Tell me about it," I replied, hands ready in defense.

Then an idea came to mind as my opponent took to verbal taunting. "Goku." I turned my head slightly and nudged him with the back of my elbow. "You're facing one as well?"

"Regrettably…"

I let out a dry laugh to his response. "Well, I've got a plan: I'll bet anything they're going to charge at the same time, since they've got us surrounded… When they do, do me a favor and _don't_ move…" He didn't have a chance to respond as both androids leaped at us, spouting out all sorts of high pitched squeaks and giggles.

'…_Now_!' The Cell Junior on my side was just yards away when I flexed my hands—smirked at the crackling electricity—and let out a small triumphant laugh as two simultaneous _THWAP _sounds resounded from the overly enthusiastic fiends when they slammed headlong into my barrier.

Goku stood a bit straighter, his back still glued to mine as he inquired, "What now?" in a slightly more composed voice.

"It's about to get better…" I looked back and forth, waiting for the miniatures to snap out of their stupor. Just as they attempted to push themselves away from the invisible wall, I bent my arms in a ninety degree angle, elbows level with my waist, clenched my fists and—

"_HAAA!_"

…which certainly added an extra boost to the tangible lashings of electricity that took hold of the small androids and reduced them to convulsing, screeching, blue heaps on the floor. Goku let out a barely audible noise of awe as the energy sparked and blew the twin Cells away. It was similar to a cartoon character touching some high voltage machinery and being blown back by the shock, skin all charred and smoking.

A bit of dust clouded what would be just high enough to conceal the dwarves' bodies outside of the barrier, but their dark figures were soon distinguishable.

"Thank you, Midori." I felt him bend his arms in a similar manner to mine.

I glanced back briefly. "No need… I only weakened them. We still need to finish the job…" Just as I trailed off they began to stir, still slightly twitching, but more than able enough to growl and hiss in their irritating, babyish voices. "You aren't too tired are you?" I lifted an arm up, resting the top of my hand on the back of his shoulder.

He turned halfway at the touch, but didn't respond right away. "No…" he finally stated. "You?"

I smirked, fully ignoring the awful mixture of a sore stomach, pounding head, and stiff neck, knowing he was probably doing the same thing. "Never."

There was an unspoken understanding that it was time to go on the offense as I relinquished my force field and the two of us jumped in opposite directions.

I could say right then, that I'd never fought _anything_ that tough (Broly, being in a league of his own, didn't count.) I had to move as fast as possible to avoid taking any more damage, and when I did strike back, the favor was returned two-fold. I wasn't the only one having problems: Piccolo, Vegeta, Trunks, _everyone_—

I took in a sharp breath as one clone came uncomfortably close to my face (in the overcrowded battle, many partners had been changed). Thinking quickly, I dove backwards, bringing my legs up just as it snatched at my chest and kicked it up and over my body into a large rock.

But the crash never came.

—!

Before I knew it, I was flat out on my back again, small pebbles poking me, with a wide-eyed, cackling Cell Junior blocking out most of the bright sky behind it. Tiny hands had found their way to my neck and squeezed with murderous intent. The first thoughts to come were coated with anger: did this little punk _really_ think I would just sit here and let him choke me to death?

'But...'

My eyes widened in fearful realization.

'Why can't I move?'

The ability to breathe was slowly leaving me, and all I could do was twitch my fingers and toes! "S-sto-_haah-op!_" My eyes darted around madly; the others would never get to me in time—they were busy enough keeping themselves alive as it was—

I let out a strangled cry as I saw the real root of my problem: One small, yet sturdy foot had been planted firmly into the dirt, between which my exposed tail was being crushed.

'No, no, _NO!_ My tail! Not my tail!'

Try as I might, I could and would _never_ be able to fight back with the pressure on my extended spine that rendered me paralyzed. My lungs were screaming for oxygen—chest burning like a torch placed between my breasts.

'_No…' _I wondered if anyone could even hear my choking and gagging over all of the fighting…

The world was a sickening blur, different shapes melding into a large, multi-toned, blue and brown canvas before my very own eyes.

"N-no-ooo…" The gloomy canvas was getting brighter… redder…

There were a few exclamations in the background … but… why were they so loud..? Damn…like… right in my ears.

My vision came back into focus. There, seated on my chest: a small, blue spawn of Cell stared back down at me with large, dubious, somewhat angry eyes. The grip it had on my throat was much less painful, albeit its fingers embedded deep into my skin. Why was that…? Maybe it was just that my body… as a whole… was in far more pain. Yes… like my innards were pushing against my assailant instead of me.

Oh… So _it _was happening again.

"_HhhrrrrRRRRAAAAAAAAH!_"

The tiny machine was under me with a flattened face before he could screech properly in fear.

I felt an animalistic pleasure rise as its face snapped from side to side under my fists, until its pale features turned red—red like the rest of it—like the sky—like _everything._

I knew what was happening to me... I knew not to fight it; I knew _fully_ what I was doing… unlike the first time… Broly was saving me again; saving me with his mutated DNA. It was his blood inside giving me the violent adrenaline boost to keep me from going under. Hopefully I could destroy the monster below me before I crashed.

"NOW _DIIIIIIIE!_"

But my right hand froze in midair. The eardrum-bursting noises all around me suddenly ceased as I searched our elevated battle field for the source of energy that was being concentrated so heavily. I spotted it right away through my tinted vision and my jaws dropped in dumb awe. "Brother…?"

He was brighter than the sun… _so_ bright… bright enough to somehow sap the red mist from my eyesight.

"_FINAL FLASH!_" Brilliantly energized ki was let loose from Vegeta's smoking hands as everyone watched his colossal attack zone in on one of the Cell Juniors… who caught the blast as if it were nothing and kicked it a mile away.

Shit.

When it finally hit the earth, the whole cliff was bathed in white light, the halves of our bodies facing away dipped into darkness. It was then that I noticed my hearing had returned to normal… I didn't have the impulse yank my guts out anymore… the overwhelming energy I'd been briefly granted had run out.

"Oh… not good…" I could feel my power level deflating like a popped balloon as I fell feebly to the side, unable to hold myself up. I was in a much poorer condition than I had been minutes ago—and there were no more life-saving juice-ups coming to my rescue.

"Hang on!"

But there was Goku…

Similar to the time he'd scooped me up to escape from the exploding planet New Vegeta, Goku wrapped one arm around my waist and jumped back, away from not one, but _two _blue monstrosities. I could feel him inhaling and exhaling shakily against my ribs and knew his batteries were almost drained as well.

I tried to persuade him through oddly breathy words "Just… put me down…", my wobbly knees making it harder for him to keep me on my feet.

I glanced up just in time to see a knee dig deep into Goku's stomach—inches from my face, blood speckling my forehead as he dry-heaved. A second later we were both headed for the floor; I happened to twist sideways as he fell like a rock onto his stomach.

My eyes gave one hazy sweep over the area. 'I hate… being so _useless_…' I couldn't even push his heavy arm off of my side; he had unintentionally pinned me down.

The Saiyan eventually pushed himself up on trembling arms, muttering "Sorry…" over and over again as he hung his head low. "So sorry, everyone…"

Both pursuers were circling around us like "sharks", as the humans would say; laughing, _evil _sharks…

… …

"No—_don't!_"

… Had I blacked out? I was suddenly on my stomach, and Goku was running _towards_ me.

A startling pain caught my lower back, causing me to suck in a sharp breath through my teeth. 'Now what?' I looked back, and a paralyzing fear took hold of me, 'No, not again!' for perched on the back of my thighs, inspecting my tail with rapture, was a Cell Junior.

I couldn't even elicit a scream: A flash of a smirk and a squeeze later, I was a stiff, gasping mess with my arms splayed before me from being dragged backwards.

I brought my gaze up as the sound of resistance grew closer; not from the others, but Goku also on his stomach, fighting to shake an adamant Junior off of his leg. Shocking me out of my numb daze, another surge of pain traveled from the base of my tail, and up my spine.

Oh Kais, no. This was _not_ happening!

I began panting, hysterical noises making their way out as my fingers jerked in an attempt to move. Another jolt of pain. I used the only thing left to me: my voice.

"PLEASE, SOMEBODY!" hot tears brimmed my eyes. "IT'S GOING TO RIP MY SPINE OUT!" My frantic pleas were answered with a high cackle and a few outcries in the background.

The bound Saiyan before me gasped in horror, then seemed to find new wind as he pushed himself forward, a confused android still attached to his dark boot. "Hold on, I'm—" He paused to turn back slightly and land a solid kick to his captors face, successfully knocking it off. "—coming!"

The agonizing pulling on my back persisted as I stretched my fingers out. 'I'm going to die!' There were no more if, ands, or buts about it. 'I'm going to _die!_'

Goku rushed forward and was no sooner slammed down again, his calloused fingers just barely brushing mine. Desperation reflected in both of our eyes: his quivering, blue pupils and my watery, dark ones.

Another yank: sparks flew up my spine, through every nerve in my body, causing me to have an involuntarily spasm as I screamed what might be my last scream. The pain was immeasurable as the monster leaned back to put more muscle into its tug.

"NOOO!" Goku's voice was the last thing I heard as the ground beneath us gave a sudden lurch.

…Huh?

"_AAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHH!_"

A new voice roared across the canyon, echoing over its walls and up the cliffs to us. My eyes shot open to full hilt as the screaming continued and the ground shook with the fury… of… _Gohan?_

Down below us, Gohan was enveloped in a fierce windstorm of golden ki: one that blew away the foundation of the ground beneath him and left it concave. His screams were drenched in so many things: Rage, despair, frustration—it was a never-ending cycle.

My tail had long since been left in peace as I gaped at the boy wonder, though I felt I might pass out.

The pads of Goku's fingers brushed lightly over my knuckles as he gave a weak laugh. "That a boy, Gohan…"

'How can someone so young have all that power? He's... _much_ stronger than Goku!' Needless to say, after the dust cloud dissipated, Gohan revealed unto us a whole new person… physically _and_ mentally. Stalking up to Cell, he looked like a smaller version of Goku with hair that stood straight up, though Gohan's bangs were sparser than his father's. 'And… oh? I didn't just take a short nap did I?' last time I had blinked… Gohan did _not_ have the bag of Senzu beans in his hands…

Wow. So much for me being the quickest around; I'd barely seen him snatch them away from Cell!

It didn't cross my mind how close Goku and I were to the edge of the cliff until he turned forty-five degrees to his right and gripped the ledge overlooking his newly awakened son.

"You were right…" I grunted slightly, trying to turn his way. "Your son has extraordinary powers…" I trailed off, watching with a grateful eye as the boy cleaved one of Cell's mini monster's heads right off with his bare hands.

Goku responded with another frail laugh (grimacing slightly from the effort), and a light-hearted "I told you so…"

A streak of gold shot across the plains, down into the depths of what was once the arena.

From there on out, the Cell Juniors were to be made an example off: an example of what happened to those who caused pain for fun. One more had its head kicked off—another received a foot through the stomach. The remaining five were mere play things after that; batting them away and then blowing them back with just energy and no movement _whatsoever… _Gohan was a sight to see.

Out from the skies, Piccolo dropped down a moment later, his beady eyes straying over to Gohan before regarding us. "Goku, are you okay?" He then looked over to me a few feet off. "Can either of you stand?"

I nodded and Goku replied with a "Yeah" as I attempted to get to my feet. Thankfully, I hadn't been left paralyzed after the terrifying ordeal, but I could feel little to nothing of my legs when I stood up.

Just to prove me wrong, a small pin-point shock seemed to wake them up, as well as throw me off my balance. Halfway back down, a green hand grasped my right bicep, pulling upright again. I muttered a sheepish thanks; Piccolo was now supporting both me and Goku (who had one arm draped over the Namekian's shoulders).

"Didn't I… tell ya so?" Goku asked, eyes slightly twitching from some source of pain. "He's going to do it, Piccolo…" He trailed off and smirked as Gohan made fools play of the Cell Juniors and their borrowed techniques.

I smiled as well, trying my best to keep from swaying as the brunt of several explosions blew at us.

In less than a minute's time after, the final remnants of Cell's creations were a bluish-black smoke, eventually disappearing in the wind. Then, the boy of the hour spoke up an edgy tone with plenty of ground in contempt, "Pass these around, Trunks." as he tossed the bag of Senzu beans aside, eyes trained solely on Cell. I could only imagine how much Gohan hated the locust-like android at the moment…

…

I stood up straight, raising my arms and stretching my back once I'd received one of the healing beans. "Miracle workers," I sighed, glancing up to the clouds where Gohan was putting little effort into his fight with Cell.

"I still have to get around to father," Trunks added, shaking the small bag to make sure there were more to go around.

I nodded, and the two of us moved quickly to where Vegeta was, leaving Piccolo behind to interrogate Goku on why the Saiyan would choose to fight first if knew he was no match for Cell… for Gohan to learn the android's fighting style, maybe?

"Brother!" I called out just before my toes touched the red terrain again. "I see you came out in better shape than me… _heh_." I smirked at his heated stare, a bit envious that he was so much tougher than I was. It seemed all he had to worry about was the shoulder he was gripping for the time being.

Trunks approached his father (for I surely wouldn't when he was glaring like that). "Here," he offered him a bean. "Take this."

Vegeta, being as proud as he was, shot daggers at the outstretched palm before complying with an equally stubborn remark of: "I _hate_ when I'm forced to take these!" But as my brother chewed begrudgingly, he became visibly less tense, and inquired in a tamer (more sarcastic) manner "While we're all getting cozy in front of the fire, you may as well explain what happened with your power level earlier…"

My lower eyelids rose as he stared sternly at me.

"A spark like that and then nearly all of your energy vanishes?" His eyes gained an accusing glare. "What kind of stunt did you pull?"

Trunks willingly stepped up for me when I remained silent. "It wasn't a stunt, father! She has—"

"Trunks…" I placed a hand on his shoulder. He obviously knew my condition and was ready to spill the beans on that little secret. "Vegeta, do you remember the scene of Broly's death?" He glared when I answered his question with an inquiry of my own, but humored it nonetheless.

"Kakarot punched a hole through his stomach…" He blinked slowly, and then added "His blood was _green_." Exactly what I had been hoping for.

"Yes, well… almost sixteen years ago, I'd lost a lot of blood… fighting Broly, of course." I rolled my eyes at the unpleasant memory. "Since he had had his blood tested numerous times, the doctors knew that Broly was a matching type, and went ahead with a transfusion."

"You mean to tell me that those fools pumped that freak's _green_ blood into you?" His voice had gained volume.

I sighed. "Paragus didn't tell the doctors what the _scientists_ knew." My narrow-eyed brother inclined his head in a questioning manner. "Which was basically that there was a mutation in his genes… and that his blood had become uniquely infused with… whatever gave him his overwhelmingly unstable supply of energy…"

I went on to explain the blunt truth: That Broly's "legendary" blood served as an emergency resuscitation; like a giant tube that pumped more ki into my body than it could handle…

Almost blacking out from lack of oxygen is what triggered it. If I had somehow found a way out from under the little monster then I would have been in _okay_ shape; better than the energy crash that followed the overload. I remembered how maddening it had felt the first time, and with that I could relate to Broly… but his trigger was anger; it was mental for him, unlike me. That... I could not relate to.

"Hmph. There's an easy solution for that." Vegeta turned his back on Trunks and I, frowning as usual. "Don't die."

_Heh_. If only it were that easy…

'Well… it might be' I mused, watching Gohan dominate Cell up and down the battle field. The frustrated android made a fancy light show of a particular rock they were on, but nothing much else came of it… But, wait… Had I heard that drifting echo right?

I cocked my head to the side in disbelief. "Did I just hear Cell say he was going to fight at _full_ strength?"

Vegeta growled. "Where is that fiend hiding all of his power?"

Cell couldn't get _that_ much stronger, could he? Well, he showed us once again what he was made of.

I was forced to my knees after heavy gusts (highlighted with phony super-Saiyan yellow) threw me off balance, my lower back twitching uncomfortably when I tried to right myself. _Sigh_, it would be easier to stay put if I was lower to the ground, anyway.

… _Would_ he be able to match Gohan? When the commotion finally settled, I squinted slightly to make out a newly fuming Cell; one who had just punched Gohan square in the face and failed to even knock the boy off of his feet.

'But _that_ looks like it hurts!' I cringed as Gohan's arm sunk halfway into Cell's gut, and was followed by a lovely uppercut to the cyborg's chin.

Cell staggered backwards, looking more injured than he had all morning. If I'd seen right, his eyes bulged and purple bodily fluids were dripping from his mouth. 'Blood, maybe?' A few times he tripped and fell to the floor, struggling to get back up.

Served that maniac right…

Goku landed quietly in front of me, and my tail suddenly stood to attention; I cleared my throat lightly. "…Behind you."

Goku turned sideways so he wasn't completely facing away from the fight. "Hmm?"

"Thanks for looking out for me earlier." I flashed him a smirk and he returned the gesture.

"You don't have to thank me." His expression then turned for the sillier. "I mean, your _brother_ would have killed me if I let your _tail_ get ripped off!" he rubbed the back of his head as I resisted the urge to roll my eyes.

"Besides," he continued, a light smirk coming back as he held a fist at waist level. "I already planned on fighting you someday. I want you alive and at full power."

"Heh, of course." I smiled at the spark in his eye, then glanced over to where Cell was making rather unflattering faces at a stationary Gohan. "You let me know when..."

Keeping his eyes on the fight, or lack thereof, Goku spoke softly. "I saw what happened to you before you collapsed..."

_That_ again…

"Your eyes where glowing red, then green."

My jaw clenched as I stared straight ahead. "Yes." I was hoping nobody had noticed…

"And then they were blue... like a super-Saiyan's."

He finally looked back at me and I met his calm gaze with surprise. I... had _never_ been informed of that last fact! ...Like a super-Saiyan? But females couldn't do that...

Goku finally turned away with a mysterious smile (knowing him, he must've had ideas of false super-Saiyan transformations), replacing his focus back on Cell.

Throughout our hushed conversation, Gohan had given the speckled android a good kicking around, even deflected two razor sharp energy discs.

'I can't get over how good this kid is!' I shook my head when he brushed aside Cell's rip-off of Piccolo's Special Beam Cannon. The attack spiraled high above us and exploded, where it rained down from a cloud of smoke like a hundred shooting stars.

Cell was getting desperate, for sure, but… "I just didn't think he would fly… away," I stated dully, watching as his form grew smaller and smaller.

But after I realized what was actually happening, I could feel my body slowly stiffening into a suite of horror. My head tilted back, simultaneously shrinking into my shoulders as my mouth and eyes stretched open wide. I wasn't looking at any comet Kamorai, no, I was looking at an _insanely_ charged Kamehameha in the sky! Cell was ready to end it _all_.

The breeze picked up as my legs began to tremble. "I… I can't…" It was about to touch down. "I can't shield us from that!" I didn't know if Goku heard me or not, but it made little difference. With Gohan standing motionless, the Kamehameha yards from his face, it didn't look like we (or even the Earth) would be around much longer.

But then the familiar screeching whistle of the attack doubled in volume; Gohan had unleashed his own Kamehameha against Cell's!

I couldn't say I was particularly relieved at the moment, though… not when I was blown off of my feet, onto the dirt, and gradually buried under the sand.

'He could have done that about ten seconds earlier!' On my stomach, facing the opposite direction, I pulled the collar of my shirt over my nose with one hand and held onto a sturdy rock with the other. I could feel the waves of sand slowly engulfing my legs, thighs, and waist… Soon the outer world was muffled by hot sand. That was my cue to hold my breath and keep my eyes shut _tight_.

Maybe thirty seconds later the ground seemed to be shaking less, but it was my objecting lungs that finally sprung my head up from beneath the desert grain. I took in as much air as I could, whilst other members of our group emerged in the same fashion.

Somewhere in the background I heard Piccolo's rough voice make an exclamation of Cell's remaining livelihood, which I disappointingly felt to be true. I saw, after turning around, the android high up in the clouds, a mangled and bloody mess. And for all the time it took me to focus my eyes and notice these things, I wondered why Gohan wasn't taking _his_ time to finish Cell off.

A few others muttered similar thoughts, but Goku was finally the one get fed up with his son's leniency. "Gohan! You've got to take Cell down now, before he can regenerate!" Luckily, Gohan happened to be close enough to hear us.

Retying my belt after letting sand fall out of my shirt, I distinctly heard Gohan's rebellious reply: "No, I think I'll wait… I'm going to let him suffer for a little while!"

I clicked my tongue in disapproval; The boy was letting his strength go to his head. 'It's not always the strongest who comes out victorious…'

"GOHAN!"

I turned towards Goku in surprise; I'd never seen him quite this aggravated.

"LISTEN TO ME, YOU'VE GOT TO GET HIM—DO IT _NOW!_" To this, Gohan merely quirked his lips into a smirk, giving his father reason to continue. "WE ALL KNOW YOU HAVE THE POWER! IT'S TIME TO _USE_ IT!"

But before Gohan would even _think_ of lifting a finger, Cell had already burst forth all necessary body parts in order to be whole again. It was an understatement to say the android was angry; he was beside himself. So much so, that he had grown about… four times his normal size—into a growling, foaming-at-the-mouth behemoth.

My mouth hung open incredulously before muttering, "That is seriously disturbing…" Krillin, next to me, agreed wholeheartedly.

"Yeah," my short companion continued, "Looks like Cell is back to his old, evil self!"

The green devil was lunging and swinging wildly at Gohan, who was breezing through each attack as if dodging a butterfly.

Hell, even I could have danced around Cell if wanted to… Not that I _wanted_ to get in front of that. But the point was: his new growth spurt had hindered his speed greatly.

'Uh-oh. Here we go.' Finally, the moment we'd all been waiting for arrived: Gohan struck Cell once—twice—and the android fell to his knees, cross-eyed and drooling buckets of saliva onto the ground. I allowed myself a small, toothy grin as I edged closer to the cliffside where the others were congregating. 'I wouldn't be surprised if Cell chucked up an organ or two from a kick to the gut like that.'

The creature's chest was bulging, like his insides had gathered to one spot and were trying to break free. The mass began moving upwards—his neck was inflating—and soon enough…

I shrunk back in disgust, bumping the Namekian's arm. "_Ugh_, what the fuck?"

Even my brother was caught off guard: "_What?_ What's that?" though he was much more eloquent than I.

"It's android eighteen!" Someone shouted from behind.

I _thought_ I'd seen it all. Shit. Where the hell had Cell been hiding an _entire_ human (android) body inside him like that? He didn't _seem_ that big before! Well, looks could be deceiving…

I took a long side-step to my right and leaned over to my nephew, who was gawking just as much as the next guy. "I've seen it all now, you know: someone vomiting out a whole person…" I eyed the young, blonde woman covered in thick spit, lying unconscious.

"Yeah," He replied slowly. "But if she's free, then what does that mean?"

I brooded on that question for a moment. Cell had "absorbed" Android Eighteen into his body to become stronger; she was half of his "perfect" power source. So wouldn't his energy… decrease? Maybe… he would revert into something else?

I was pleasantly surprised when my assumptions turned out to be true; Cell was changing: his bright green body was darkening, small human traits like a nose and thin lips had disappeared, and finally, a long orange tail sprouted from its previous retracted place. I noticed that he seemed less, erm… _feminine_ than his previously perfected state.

There was a round of relieved sighs.

'Well,' I placed my hands on my hips. 'How about that?' The monstrosity's power level was laughable; If Gohan decided he was tired with his toy, I would gladly step in! It was only a matter of time before we would be able to go home with Cell's ugly face existing only in our memories…

* * *

**Gohan to the rescue~Hopefully I didn't make it seem like Goku went _too_ far out of his way for the OC ): He'd come to the aid of anyone else gettin' their tail yanked out, right?  
**

**I started this story when I was thirteen with the intention of it being a GokuOC story; by the time I was 17 I was like "Eh... maybe just action-adventure" because even though I _loath_... Chichi... it would be difficult writing Goku cheating on his spouse. At 19, now I'm like... "Maybe I can just kill her off..?" It's horrible, I know. But I ain't the first. I mean, some stories that aren't even Goku fanfics kill her off 0_0 ...Well, if it does get that far, any romance at all would have to blossom after the Majin Buu Saga.**

**Oh, and uh, tell me what you think (about anything) :)  
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	12. Bittersweet

**Chapter 12: People_ die!_** **Like you didn't already know :P **

**I love you all who've reviewed/favorited by the way ^^ It means so much :3**

**Oh, and in case you forgot the setup:** _Flashback - **Flashback in a flashback/Telepathy**_

**/~~~/  
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* * *

_"Do you think… he would have grown up to be such a fine young man?"_

My confident smile faltered as I considered the lingering words of my deceased mate. 'Gohan and Lattice…' any happy emotion withered from my face as I unconsciously made my way to the front of the crowd. 'My son was born earlier, but they'd be the same age now.'

_Would_ he be like Gohan? Would my baby boy have been so strong, yet gentle? Would he have been a _super_ Saiyan?

My eyes narrowed at the sight ahead of me; the sight of Cell still alive. 'Would he have toyed endlessly with something so dangerous?'

Goku made another frustrated exclamation: "_Now_, Gohan! End it right now!"

Cell was backed into a corner (so to speak), shaking like a small, helpless animal. Ironically he was four times his pursuer's size.

'But,' I pondered, 'When an animal is backed into a corner… it retaliates. The same could go for any man... or android…' So when Cell suddenly bloomed to the size of a small hill, resembling more of a bloated rubber frog than an insect, I knew it was only natural that he'd taken drastic measures to accomplish his goal… Cell had inflated himself like a balloon to the point of almost popping. _If_ he popped…

I gasped.

'Oh no…' My mouth fell open as my brows turned upwards in despair. The android's harsh laughter rang in my ears as my dark locks were blown back.

"I'M GOING TO BLOW MYSELF UP NOW!" His deep, booming voice filled the air. "…SAY _GOODBYE_ TO YOUR PRECIOUS PLANET!"

The sand-laced wind stung my eyes, but I couldn't close them. 'What is this supposed to be? I survive nearly twenty years with the most power-crazed fiend alive—only to be blown up by a damn _machine?_' My pitiful expression then darkened as Cell announced: _One minute_. _One_ minute until he exploded us all to hell!

Wait…

'This is ridiculous!' I realized the ease of the situation, and took a step forward as I raised my fingers to my forehead. 'I'll just move him to some other planet and come right back!' I advanced again, but only another step as a hand appeared an inch from my chest.

Goku moved the extended hand to rest on my shoulder. "Don't," he murmured in an almost dream-like state. He stared past Gohan and Cell, seemingly sucked in by the line where the sky and desert met. "I can't let you do that." He finally moved his soft turquoise eyes to me, grinning faintly—like he _knew_ something.

I turned my glare on the obviously delirious super Saiyan. "Do _what_?" I hissed back. "Save your weird ass?" I didn't see what the _problem_ was—besides the fact that we had maybe FIFTY SECONDS LEFT.

Goku replied silently with a forlorn smile, causing me to become more confused by the ever costly second. He shifted sideways to catch the others' attention behind us and his soft demeanor was suddenly hardened; he was steeling himself for something.

Krillin was the first to notice. "What is it, Goku? Do you have a plan or something?"

Hot air blew through his blonde bangs and the Earth-born Saiyan simply smiled.

My heart began to race. 'Goku, if you don't stop being so damn mysterious and _spit-it-out_—WE'RE ABOUT TO DIE!' My mind screamed, but I remained quiet to hear him out.

"Listen: there's not much time left, and I can only think of one way to save the Earth now…"

Trunks seemed to pick up the hint before the rest of us could. "No, don't!" there was a small trace of fear mingled in his words. "I think I know what you have planned, Goku… You _don't_ have to do this!"

Do _what?_

The older Saiyan brought his hand slowly up to his face, his lips curving upwards in one last bittersweet smirk. "Goodbye, friends…"

The sprinting muscle in my chest came to a screeching halt as Goku dematerialized from his spot—only to appear by his son's side a moment later, muttering words I couldn't hear as he placed a palm on Cell's engorged stomach.

…That… _sneaky bastard!_

It was simultaneous:

Krillin— "GOKUUU!"

Gohan— "_NO_—COME BAAACK!"

"STOOOP!" I managed to choke out in the midst of the others' outcries.

But he had disappeared.

There was a painful pause after the android and Saiyan vanished; one that struck every fighter present down to the core. The wind died instantly, and not a soul spoke...

I bared my teeth then, letting out a nasty growl as I shoved my fingers under my bangs, having _every_ intention of dragging Gohan's father back to him by the ear. "If that fool thinks he's going to sacrifice himself, then he's got another thing coming!"

'How could he _purposely_ wait until the last second to do the same thing I was going to do?'

All eyes were on me.

'Come on… come on… come _on!' _I clung desperately to Goku's fading energy signal as it led my mind far, _far_ away. A small gasp escaped my lips; it almost felt like a different universe altogether, but… "I got hi—" The words fell short as my mouth formed a straight line, jaws clenching tightly, and I suddenly felt sick. I let my fingers slide over my face; down my forehead, nose, and lips, before letting my hand drop altogether.

Bringing my strained gaze up, I finally locked onto the young super Saiyan who was down on his knees, twisted around and staring back through glassy, saucer-sized eyes. His mouth hung open in surprise—borderline hope. But before the transition of emotions could be allowed I shook my head slowly, and that was all it took for Gohan to turn away.

There was a collective passing of gasps and dejected murmurs, but one alto voice caught my heart and wrung it out until it was a puddle of aching mush at my feet…

"_DAAADYYYY!_" his devastated cries echoed across the rocky wasteland, and were eventually lost to the distance as he sobbed—hunched over, shoulders trembling, his nose almost kissing the dirt.

Goku was gone…

The silence that ensued was so deafening that the new breeze was almost offensively loud. Even my own ragged breathing was noisy to my ears as I stood, shaking, teeth grinding.

'That _idiot_… That foolish, selfish _bastard! _He didn't have to do that!'

Most of the men had bowed their heads in honor of the newly deceased hero, but I stared unconsciously at the back of my brother's head (who gazed pointedly at the little broken down Saiyan), just for the sake of focusing on something as my mind muddled through angry thoughts.

'Why did he stop _me_ from using instant transmission? I would have just dropped Cell off on some remote planet and returned! Goku waited _purposely_ until he knew there was no going back!' I ground my teeth together, feeling aggravated and deeply hurt at the same time. 'Why would he leave everything that matters to him behind like that? It _doesn't_ make any sense…'

I could feel a lump rising in my throat, and my eyebrows bunched a bit in self-annoyance.

…_Sigh…_

I could only watch as Krillin went to Gohan's side to comfort him; he was one of the closest males in the child's life, and so was able to treat him with paternal care without overstepping… considering the turn of events...

"It's all my fault!" the youngest Saiyan choked out through blood, sweat, and tears. "Dad didn't have to sacrifice himself—I wish it would have been _me!_" he cried pitifully.

My face grew hot at his words, and I fought to reign in my emotions; it would _not_ have been appropriate to start crying… Still, Gohan had voiced my very thoughts, and I couldn't stop the burn in my eyes or the swell in my throat.

"Now he's gone," his voice wavered "…and I'm still here!" It took a minute or two of comforting murmurs from Krillin to finally calm him down, then more silence followed, only disturbed by the occasional sniffle and updraft.

Slowly, the two made their way back to our ranks. It was then that Krillin addressed what the Earthlings called "the elephant in the room", Android Eighteen. The pale, blonde woman was still unconscious with most of the mucus coating her having previously oozed off. My lip twitched slightly at the gross sight, but for the most part I paid no heed to Krillin and my brother's short argument over how to handle the new edition to the group.

And so, our troop of fighters stood somberly once more. I blinked slowly, feeling the air-light brush of my lashes, and sighed. Beneath my eyelids I could see Goku's determined smirk, but when I opened them… The truth behind the coarse environment and ghostly calmness stabbed at me all over again.

'Oh man…' I reached up and rubbed my eyelids gingerly, feeling the initial sting of dehydration before my eyes replenished themselves with moisture. 'What now?'

It was getting windy… _really_ windy… What the hell?

I frowned, expecting to see a small tornado passing by as I glanced up—"Whoa!"

I stumbled back as a new source of energy pushed against me, kicking up thick dust and obscuring my vision. 'Who the hell is doing that?' I tried focusing as currents of electricity sent prickling sensations up the arm I was using to shield my face. If only I could feel out…

...No… way… _No_...

I lowered my arm, dumbfounded as I realized just who was hiding behind the smokescreen of sand just beyond our group.

I distinctly heard my brother's voice: "It can't be!" It was _true_.

There was a spark of energy and I jumped, my shriek of terror lost in the confusion and general uproar as a bright energy beam shot past me and—

"_Uugh!_"

I turned at the throaty noise just in time to see… my nephew's body hit the ground.

My breath suddenly stalled in my throat, and there was nothing louder than the thump of his thick armor crashing to the dirt.

The cruelest, most evil laughter drifted over us as I clamped a hand over my mouth, feeling even sicker than the few minutes prior to the current nightmare we were facing. Then, an all too familiar voice corroborated our fears with a confident, _happy_ declaration: "My aim is as good as ever. It's so _good_ to be back!"

Five men and one boy stared horror stricken at the newly revived Cell, whilst the hibernating mother inside me had stirred again, drawing me away from the resurrected android and over to my fallen nephew on shaky legs.

"_Trunks_…" I slapped a quivering hand over my chest, as if that action alone would calm my palpitating heart. Closing in, I saw just how extensive the damage was: a hole in his armor the size of a large apple revealed a gaping wound that soaked the tight spandex underneath with dark blood. Suddenly the intangible weight of my emotions became real, causing my knees to buckle under the pressure. I sank to the ground beside the motionless half-Saiyan and fell onto my elbows, one fist ground in the dirt, the other resting shakily on top of his armored abdomen.

How could this be happening? _Why_ was this happening?

The _last_ thing I had had on my mind was seeing Trunks—the young man who'd I'd grown _so_ close to in the last few days—my nephew—my brother's _son_—get a hole blown through his chest!

'I can't even feel his life force anymore!' I realized with a painful swallow as I lowered my head until his left breast plate was touching my forehead. 'This is wrong—so _wrong!_' My eyes burned anew with tears ready to spill, my throat felt ready to burst, and my heart had long since dropped into the pits of my stomach.

I could hear Gohan's outrage—"LOOK WHAT YOU DID TO TRUNKS!" and Vegeta's growing fury—"WHAT DO YOU WANT FROM US, CELL?!"

As I listened to the Red Ribbon android gladly explain how he had survived off of single cell, one warm tear trickled down my face and onto Trunks' armor. Two, then three and four tears followed as I cried silently, the smell of his half-human blood wafting around my sensitive nose.

Cell had regenerated from almost nothing—managed to restore himself to full power—and had acquired the knowledge to perform the Instant Transmission from _Goku's_ cells! After all that, the monster had come back for the rest of us; that he made clear…

"Goku _failed_—and so will all of you! But I'm willing to give you another chance if you want…"

Sparks began to fly as Gohan immediately stepped up to the challenge—"You don't scare me, Cell!"—but I just couldn't draw on any enthusiasm to cheer for the super-powered child. Everything that had happened was so…

_Wait_.

I lifted my head up slowly, eyebrows scrunched in confusion as I focused harder on the teen beneath me. 'Did I just feel…?' I nearly leaped off of him when I witnessed his fingers twitch. For lack of a better reaction, I gasped, a loud squeak following as I watched my nephew's face contort in agony. "Trunks!"

He was still _alive?_

My commotion drew in eyes instantly, and several others gasped as the teen's chest heaved and blood spewed out of his mouth.

_Shit._

I went straight for my belt, tearing at it until it was loose enough to whip off and fling aside. Next came the over-shirt, which was immediately applied to Trunks' wound.

Frantic voices approached and soon Yamcha was kneeling by my side, inspecting Trunks as well. "He's in really bad shape! He might not make it!" He called back to the rest.

I sucked in a sharp breath through my teeth. "I don't know if I can stop the bleeding." My top had already absorbed a large amount of blood, which was now coloring my hands red.

'Damn it…' I squeezed my eyes shut. '_Damn_ it!'

I only had a brief second to prepare for what occurred next; there was a short indication—throughout my entire being—this dull pain, as if my heart had been soaked in pure hatred, sorrow, and a countless number of other violent emotions, then coated over with some obscuring substance… like they weren't _mine_ to feel in the first place… That's when my brother's furious scream pierced the air like an arrow.

"_CEEEEEEEEELL!_"

I twisted around just as Vegeta transformed—already mid-flight—going _straight_ for the android.

I felt my stomach turn at the sight; what could he possibly hope to achieve _now_ that he couldn't do before?

The prince launched a heavily concentrated attack on Cell, who took it head on and seemed to fade into the light and smoke that followed a loud explosion.

I faced Trunks again with a disconcerted look, 'I hope he knows what he's doing!', for Vegeta had just let out a hailstorm of energy upon Cell in his fit of rage.

With each blast that hit the cyborg, or whatever happened to be in the vicinity of Vegeta's frenzy-fueled aim, more and more smoke rose up and surrounded us like an oncoming dust storm. He just wouldn't let up!

I leaned over Trunks a bit more to protect his body; I was soon joined by both Yamcha and Tien.

Still, Vegeta kept at it. He went on for _minutes_—firing blast after blast at Cell, who none of us could make out in the dusty debris. It reached the point where even Krillin was shouting at my enraged brother to stop.

"Talk about overdoing it!" Krillin exclaimed once Vegeta had ceased. "What's he thinking?"

I kept my head low to Trunks' abdomen and my hand sealed over his wound as I peeked up to where my brother hovered. 'I feel your pain… brother, but this isn't the answer!' I _knew_ how powerful Vegeta was; I _knew_ what he was capable of. Even now… I knew he wasn't capable of getting rid of Cell by himself. I was afraid for him in that moment…

But it seemed the prince believed he _could_ end it all by himself. "I'll make sure…" he started breathlessly, "…he can't put himself together again!"

A few moments passed…

"CELL! COME OUT! IF YOU DON'T, I'LL _BLAST_ YOU OUT OF THERE!"

And for almost a whole minute, Vegeta poured more energy into the smoke below, where a new canyon had probably formed.

When he finally stopped, my lower lip suddenly trembled; the last remaining bit of life force left in Trunks had vanished… I sat up slowly, breathing deeply as my bloody hand slid away from my nephew's clotted, fatal wound.

I heard the prince wheeze out "At last… It's over…".

But it _wasn't_ over…

I shifted towards the action, studying the dust cloud closely.

—!

"_WRONG_—"

Cell had appeared from the depths before Vegeta almost as fast as I'd blinked—

"It's over when _I_ say it's over!"

My heart skipped a beat—"Vegeta!"—as my brother was back-handed brutally onto the rocky ground and rendered nearly motionless.

"And it's over _now!_" All at once Cell let loose the Special Beam Cannon, Gohan zipped across the field, and I jumped into the air.

I was close—Gohan was closer. The blast was like a sonic boom when it hit, "Aaah!" and I was blown back as Gohan also screamed in pain, having made it to Vegeta just in time to shield him. "_No!_" I was too late!

I grunted, quickly catching my balance and proceeding onward again. Small, rocky projectiles hit my arms as I shielded my face and pushed through the smoke and aftershock of the blast waves. "Gohan!" I landed at their side a moment later to assess the damage. "Brother…" I gulped at the sight of the two of them piled together, unconscious, and reached out to shake both of them.

A relieved sigh escaped my lips as Gohan almost immediately began to stir, but… "Vegeta… you need to wake up _now!_" I grasped both of his shoulders and began to shake the unresponsive prince, the smaller Saiyan rising on wobbly legs.

Gohan's arm was dripping blood…

My eyes moved to the sky when Cell called down: "Gohan… I _told_ you not to get in my way!" the android's eyes danced with perverse satisfaction at the sight of the child's left arm leaking blood, then shifted to me. "And _you!_ What exactly did you hope to accomplish?"

I bared my teeth at the machine, my fingers unconsciously digging into Vegeta's spandex-covered skin.

Cell turned his attention back to Gohan. "I do hope you are not planning on continuing this fight," he chuckled. "I wouldn't want you to suffer…"

I looked back to my brother, who was ever so still though most definitely alive; his hair was still blonde. "Come on, Vegeta! Open your eyes!" my eyebrows furrowed as I began to slide my hands under his neck and knees. But, when I heard the clicking-like sound of Cell's feet touching the pebbly floor not too far from us, I couldn't hold back a small gasp.

Gohan, the only thing separating the two of us from Cell, bent his able arm in defense.

"I see you are still as stubborn as ever, Gohan." The android smiled creepily onto us, his aura still sparking with rejuvenated energy. "Well, have it your way then… Let's get this over with." Before I knew it, Cell had bent his knees… was leaning forward… and cupping his hands together.

"_Gohan_… this is it! It ends here!"

My jaw dropped.

"First I'll destroy you, and your friends, and then this _worthless_ planet!" he called harshly to the stunned child. "But before I do, I want you to remember something…"

My whole body was quivering now.

"I WILL LIVE FOREVER!"

I flinched slightly at the android's bellowing voice. That _one_ exclamation left such a chilling impression on all of us that even Vegeta began to come-to.

I blinked in surprise as he sat up slowly on one elbow, and I quickly removed my hands, but… my mind was elsewhere. I was imagining Goku… how he failed and sacrificed himself… Trunks, and how his life was cut short… and _Gohan_… even _he_ now seemed incapable of saving us.

'Cell… really will live forever.' I squeezed my eyes shut, one fist clenching.

Vegeta suddenly fell backwards with a grunt, snagging my attention. "I've… become completely useless on this battle field…" He turned his face to the side, as if trying to hide. "I'm… making a total _mockery_ of my Saiyan race."

My eyebrows turned inward in sadness. "Vegeta…you know that's not true…" I tried to reach out to him as he struggled to sit back up again. "You were defending your son's honor—"

"Don't!" he responded, although not loathingly… almost… in despair. As I drew back, Vegeta noticed Gohan with a widened gaze. "I'm… sorry, Gohan, I _am_."

These words surprised me, as well as the young super-Saiyan, but with Cell's impending final attack facing the three of us down…

Cell's evil grin widened as his energy continued to stock up. "What's wrong Gohan? Aren't you going to try and stop me _now?_"

Hanging onto his disabled arm with one hand, Gohan replied in a defeated voice, "What's the point? I know I've lost my one chance to beat you…" he lowered his head in shame. "Now all of us will die together and be with my dad…"

I wasn't sure whether to frown in disapproval or nod in agreement… So instead I simply stared down at my knees. "Vegeta…" I mumbled, bringing my gaze up briefly to make eye contact with the prince of _all_ Saiyans. "It's…been an honor." He stared back through wide eyes, lips parted as if he wanted to say something important.

"No, dad! I can't even use one of my arms anymore! And my energy's been cut in _half!_"

Both Vegeta and I frowned, looking back up to Gohan who was staring up at the sky in a daze. 'The pressure must have gotten to him… How could he be talking to Goku?'

"Okay!" he called up to the sky again. "It's all starting to become clear now, dad!"

From behind, I saw Gohan stand a bit straighter, his good arm abandoning the other as he struck up a more battle-ready pose. "I've got one arm left, but that's all I need!"

I sat up a bit more as Gohan brought his right arm back, and the boy's energy began to climb.

He was going to do it; He was going to fight back!

"_KAAAAAAAAAAA…. MEEEEEEEE…. HAAAAA… MEEEEE..._"

I let out an amazed laugh, never happier to have heard that incantation until now. "Yes!"

"_HAAAAAAAAAAAAA!_"

My smile immediately dropped; the two contenders launched their attacks at the same time… and they were the size of _mountains_! We were instantly bathed in blue light just feet behind Gohan. Not wasting another second, I jumped up; Vegeta was already standing, cradling his left shoulder. Without another word we both powered up, taking to the skies in hopes of watching the final bout from a less lethal point of view.

I spared a glimpse back, and what did I see? Well, two titan-sized balls of energy meeting to create a dome-shaped standstill. Capsule Corporation came to my mind… 'But Capsule Corp. isn't _half_ that size!' the two beams suddenly engorged, and spread outward, becoming even _more_ monstrous.

'Shit!'

Typhoon-force winds pushed against our backs until Vegeta and I were forced to settle on a small plateau, just big enough for the two of us to stand on without being crowded.

"Gods…" My eyebrows lowered as we watched from afar. "I've never seen anything quite like this…" I muttered in disbelief. Even from a half-mile away I felt dangerously close.

I heard Vegeta's deep voice hum shortly in response. When I glanced his way, he wore a deeply somber expression and had powered down to his normal state. I thought back to the last words he'd muttered…

"_I've … become completely useless on this battle field…I'm… making a total mockery of my Saiyan race…"_

My eyelids fell to half-shade as I turned away from my brother. 'No, Vegeta… I don't believe that at all.' Looking back up, I saw that Cell had suddenly overtaken Gohan, leaving the Saiyan's side miniscule. I gasped, my hands going to my mouth. "Oh no!"

Vegeta grunted as we watched with bated breath. The two remained like that for a while… when suddenly Gohan's side _burst_ forth, pushing back until _his_ was almost engulfing the android's.

I raised my fists to chest level as my eyes opened to full hilt. "Just a little bit more!" Of course, as soon as I said that, Cell would retaliate by nearly overtaking the child again. "Damn it…"

Any second I was going to develop a heart condition… _Sigh_…

'…Huh?'

"Brother—that isn't Piccolo, is it?" I noticed a small white aura fly past us, around Gohan, and behind Cell. "He's… _attacking!_" I blinked stupidly, my hands lowering back to my sides.

'Why hadn't that crossed my mind?' I felt a small, nervous bubble rise as I imagined myself joining in… 'Oh, come on… I've… I've faced worse!'

…Right?

Two more flew past us (Tien and Yamcha), followed by Krillin, catching Vegeta's eye. "Foolish, really… I mean it's not like they'll make a difference!"

What?

"_Vegeta!_" I turned to him incredulously. "This could be just what Gohan needs!" Why was he saying these things? Was Vegeta letting his fear get the better of him… _again?_

_His gaze was fixed on the dreary heavens above him, his eyes glazed over with an incredulous fear._

_Something about the look on his face sent a chill through me. Like I was getting a reminder of what I was really fighting. "…Brother?"_

_"He'll kill us all." was his hushed reply._

The prince turned to face me with a hot glare. "You will only get yourself _killed!_"

"We might all die anyway!" I shifted to him completely as well, and powered up with an equally heated glare. I welcomed the warmth of my energy and the white flame-like aura surrounding me. I then dove backwards off of the plateau and spun around in mid-air as I took off towards the main scene; Vegeta remained on the rock.

I narrowed my eyes as I neared the fight. 'Gohan… I _won't _let you down, kid! For your planet, for Goku, and Trunks!' With Cell in view I swooped in low, spinning again as I brought both hands up, mentally invoking the name of my teacher, 'Chiakho—'

"_HAAAA!_" My signature blue ray hit Cell dead between the shoulders, causing the android to flinch… and that was it.

One of my brows rose in disbelief as my feet met the quaking ground; Piccolo and Krillin stood from previously knocked-down positions.

'Okay!' With both index and pointer fingers, I gesticulated an 'X' sign, concentrating weighty amounts of ki; they were glowing. Two energy beams beside me shot forth. Without wasting another second I thrust my arms up, apart, and down, the energy around my digits releasing as they slid away. Their blasts hit Cell, followed by two large energy slashes that formed an 'X' just as they hit the android's posterior.

But Cell continued to bear down upon his young adversary as if unscathed—I knew we didn't have much time left before he finished Gohan off.

So I attacked again with a loud exclamation, choosing that time a continuous flow of energy like the others. There were _five_ rays tearing into Cell's back in hopes of Giving Gohan the upper edge. But we were like pebbles to a nest of hornets—only making the android angrier. The green machine's wing-like structures suddenly opened up, and we were blasted with raw energy.

"_Huh—guh!_" It was taking everything in me to stay standing against Cell's power; pain wracked my body and wind burned my skin—my formerly straightened fingers curled agonizingly under the pressure.

How could he be using all that energy against Gohan and parry us at the same time?

The spandex sleeves around my wrists were beginning to shred away—I bowed my head in an attempt to lean forward. "Ugh!"—muscle tension. Feet sliding. Heart palpitating. Eyes watering.

One by one, we were all thrown into the air. Golden currents carried us far enough to where we wouldn't pose a threat, severe winds drowning out our cries on the way. I hit the ground hard enough to bounce off of my stomach, and tumble several times until I came to a stop on my back. Yamcha's boots were near my face, twitching madly from the force of the shaking ground.

Managing to push myself up onto my knees without falling over, I craned my neck and saw ahead of us: the two Kamehamehas shredding into the desert floor; boulders were being cast out of the expanding crater holding the two enlarged beams, and the Earth itself was beginning to crack open—_Ravines_ were forming from the force of Cell's might.

We weren't… going to make it.

"This is it," I stated breathlessly.

Piccolo pushed himself up on his elbows with some effort. "Gohan!"

"We tried," Tien Muttered in defeat.

Krillin grunted out "We're all sorry Goku… We all did our very best to be heroes like you, but it's just…"

Yamcha finished wearily "Just not enough…".

Cell's energy abruptly changed from equally standing to _tidal_ wave; he was about to engulf Gohan!

'This really is it…' My lower eyelids rose in resignation...

"Big—_hah—Bang—ATTACK!_"

Five pairs of eyes shot up to investigate the ragged voice above us: _VEGETA_. My gaze followed the ball-shaped blast all the way from the prince's palm… _straight_ into the android's back; Cell actually _stumbled_ from the attack! He had lost focus and even _turned_ to make eye contact with Vegeta!

'IF GOHAN DOESN'T TAKE THIS CHANCE _RIGHT NOW_—' My hands were trembling.

Suddenly the energy from beyond Cell's side seemed to _explode_!

There were throat-bleeding screams from both fighters—

"We gotta move!" Krillin shouted.

The battle field was crumbling beneath us—

I took off towards my right, squinting against the rock-spewing winds.

Bright lights—disorienting—power overloading my senses—

A gargantuan wall of energy raced past us, and with it was Cell, screaming his last words: "_I'M PERRRFEEEEEEECT!_"

…

…

My eyes were squeezed shut, hands glued tightly over my abused ears.

But… everything was… _silent_.

Easing up a bit, I turned from side to side and looked up and down. Below was a hole big enough to fit an island; above us…

I shuddered at the sight: the clouds themselves had been disturbed with a giant hole in which a large, twinkling light could be seen leaving the planet's atmosphere. The android… was gone.

I turned slowly to my right. 'Gohan…' One hand made it to my chest as I watched the boy also floating high up, his good arm still outstretched. Before long though, the child's fatigue was made clear as his hair suddenly fell from its upright position, changing from blonde to black. A moment later and he was sailing towards the ground.

Piccolo, just to my left stated in a stunned voice "He… did it! Cell's energy has completely vanished!"

"But…" Krillin stammered, a little ways off. "You mean we're really safe again?"

Tien and Yamcha agreed exhaustedly, and we all made our way down with an unspoken relief, small smiles gracing most of our faces.

And despite all Gohan had just gone through, it seemed all he could do was laugh through his wheezing.

My eyes slid shut and I released a deep breath I hadn't realized I was holding...

…

...

We were back at the lookout. Dende had worked his magic on Gohan, who was now standing without an ache or pain. The young half-Saiyan then responded to the sympathy over his father with a puzzling remark: "Don't be sad, he's not."

Tien had previously placed Trunks in my arms, and from where I was sitting I looked up at Gohan with an arched brow.

Gohan elaborated, "He told me himself… when I talked to him. I felt his energy all around me and I swear for a moment I could have touched him!" He went on, telling us how Goku had supposedly talked him through the whole final stand-off with Cell.

'Well… it doesn't sound _that_ unbelievable…' My gazed flitted down to my nephew, whose head was resting in my lap. I reached over and gently cupped his face; there was still some warmth left… But… _sigh_… 'Vegeta, if it weren't for you, _none_ of us would be here right now… where are you now?'

My brother had taken off just after proclaiming that he was no warrior, and would never fight again… I'd never seen such a depressed looking man in my life… But I didn't press.

Mayhem suddenly broke out on the far side of the lookout: "DENDE, GET AWAY FROM HER QUICK—SHE'LL PUNCH A HOLE THROUGH YOU!" Yamcha shouted.

Apparently the female android had awoken.

I shook my head as 'hilarity' ensued; Yamcha shouted threats at the cyborg from a safe distance, and it was made known that Krillin had a crush on Eighteen. Even after she flew away in a huff, Yamcha continued his rant.

Piccolo spoke up, "We've wasted enough time here." his voice hinting a bit of annoyance. "Let's hurry up and summon the dragon so we can start undoing all the damage that Cell has done."

'Yes, please…' I was holding Trunks against my chest now, having waited patiently all the while. About half-way up to the lookout I had remembered the significance of the dragon balls… The dead would walk again.

Soon enough, Mr. Popo laid the seven crystals at Dende's feet; they were flashing as they'd done before when Goku and I had them, but it seemed more intense now. The small guardian held his hands over the balls, and suddenly the sky began darkening.

I watched with parted lips as the sky transitioned from bright blue, to darker, to… _black! _"This is normal, right?" I questioned, unconsciously hugging Trunks tighter as the natural light was vacuumed from the sky.

Gohan smiled in my direction. "Don't worry."

Dende's light voice echoed: "Eternal dragon… by your name I summon you forth: Shenron!"

Golden rays shot from the crystals, high up above us. I momentarily shut my eyes against the brightness, but spared a glimpse up. 'Incredible!' an odd, warm energy was streaming across the sky, reminiscent of a giant snake. 'Or a dragon!' I realized with a gasp, as the golden silhouette began to fade into green and soon revealed unto us "Shenron", the eternal dragon.

AND A HUGE BLOODY DRAGON IT WAS.

My neck was craned so far back it began to twitch uncomfortably. 'Damn, that thing is huge!' Its scales were probably larger than my head, and its _body_… If it were uncoiled, I bet it would've stretched from sea-level to the clouds, if not more!

"CHOOSE YOUR WORDS CAREFULLY AS YOU SPEAK," Its deep voice boomed from above us, causing me to tremble slightly. "I WILL MAKE TWO OF YOUR WISHES TRUE."

"Shenron!" Yamcha called up to the great beast. "Please revive all those who were killed on Earth by Cell!"

"YOUR WISH WILL BE GRANTED." Its ruby eyes momentarily glowed.

Gohan appeared next to me and leaned over casually with his hands on his knees.

I took a deep breath. 'Any time now, I guess…' And there is was: I felt Trunks' energy all around me, as if it were circling us; finally, it seemed to seep into his body and settle. I happened to glance at his chest—his wound was gone!

"Trunks?"

My nephew's eyes abruptly popped open, causing me to jump in surprise and Gohan to throw his fists up in triumph. The older half-Saiyan immediately sat up and observed the two of us with confusion.

I let out a short, amazed laugh, my heart fluttering. "Welcome back!" He was as good as new! Amazing!

"Uh… Yeah." The teen blinked again, adjusting to the blaring brightness of the dragon balls in the darkness.

Smiling softly, I stood along with Trunks and steered the two boys back towards the other men. I'd express my joy later when there weren't so many people around…

When we approached, Piccolo wore a graver than usual expression. "As I feared…" he started. "Since Dende created a new Earth dragon, I was hoping Goku could be revived…"

I frowned. "He isn't coming back?" My eyes flickered to the floor briefly, then back up to the Namekian as a new wave of sadness hit me.

Piccolo elaborated, explaining that the new dragon was modeled after the old one, so that their powers must have been linked… All I knew was that even though I had Trunks back… there was a part of me that intensely wanted to see Goku again…

'But… he's staying dead…'

"WHAT IS YOUR SECOND WISH?"

I jumped again at the magnified voice coming from above us, cursing under my breath in the process. My hands had found their way to both boys' shoulders.

"I AM WAITING FOR IT."

So Shenron was an impatient dragon…

Yamcha called up to the giant serpent again: "Listen—can't you use our whole second wish to revive Goku? All of us _really_ want him to come back!"

My eyes shifted around a bit. 'Is this man psychic..?'

"HOW BADLY YOU WANT IT MAKES NO DIFFERENCE TO ME," Shenron stated in his thunderous, unchanging voice. "GOKU HAS BEEN REVIVED BEFORE AND SO IT IS IMPOSSIBLE."

If that wasn't the word of God right there, then I didn't know what was; We weren't going to ever seen him again, it seemed.

But Yamcha, Tien and Krillin still brainstormed different ways to bring the Saiyan back to us. Finally, Krillin suggested _time_ travel of all things, and the other two jumped on it, meanwhile the rest of us stood silently. Piccolo, being the voice of reason, quickly reminded them that that would mean Cell would be alive as well…

A child's voice interrupted them: "I have an idea!" Dende beamed at us. "All we have to do is ask Porunga back on Namek!"

…Porunga?

Well, it turned out this "Porunga" dragon could revive a person as many times as it saw fit…

The group had made up their minds: Use the second wish to go to Planet Namek, then use their dragon to wish Goku back to life.

I felt a grin tugging at my lips. 'I've never been to that planet before… I wonder what Piccolo's people are _really_ like?'

"_**Hey… don't I get a say in this?"**_

My eyes shot open before my brows furrowed. I had _clearly_ gone crazy.

"_**Hi, everybody! It's me!"**_

"See!" Gohan exclaimed as we all shifted to find the location of the familiar voice. "I told you guys!"

Okay… so maybe I wasn't crazy… Still, what in the—

"_**King Kai's letting me talk to you from here in the other world."**_

Kinga Kai?

"_**So listen up: … Lately I've been thinking about why the Earth is always in danger and I **_**realized**_** that most of the guys who attacked it were after **_**me!**_** Think about it: Frieza, Cell, all the androids!"**_

The others hesitantly agreed to his point, but wondered why he was trying to make it…

I lifted my right hand slowly from Trunks' shoulder to push some stray hairs behind my ear. 'Like it isn't a clear as day? Goku… Sometimes I wish you weren't so noble…' I didn't bother hiding a dejected look.

"_**Well, I think it would be better for the Earth if I didn't come back this time… King Kai agrees with me."**_

And there it was.

"_**As a Saiyan baby I was sent to Earth to destroy it,"**_ he stated, and I perked up at the chance to hear some of his past. _**"And though all my life I've tried to do the opposite, it's kind of like I've been fulfilling that mission all along."**_

A short pause.

"_**So yeah, I'm gonna stay here now. I really don't mind!" **_He went on about how he would receive special treatment for saving the planet, and would get to explore the "other" world. _**"I guess what I'm trying to say is… I really appreciate your feelings towards me, but you'll have to find something else to wish for."**_

I listened respectfully, albeit with a heavy heart. Glancing down at the youngest Saiyan, I saw how disappointed and hurt he was, especially as Goku stated: _**"Gohan is so strong now; I have nothing left to teach him!"**_

The boy's head whipped up. "But that doesn't mean I don't _need_ you!" he called up to the sky, where Shenron floated noiselessly.

"..._**You all better take notes of **_**everything**_** that happens in your life… Cuz when they're through… I'll wanna hear all about them!"**_

My eyes traveled idly across the black sky as I arched an eyebrow.

"_**Until then… Goodbye…" **_His voice finally faded away on a light note.

I smiled softly in return. 'So that's it then… leaving me with that gentle voice… and that silly smile in my mind.'

Lowering my head, I let out a short, breathless laugh. "Goodbye, Goku."


	13. Old Faces, New Faces

**Chapter 13: Life returning back to normal, meanwhile...**

* * *

In the stillness of my bedroom, I sat gingerly at the side of the bed, hands resting on my knees as I straightened my stiff back. The silk pajamas felt nice against my battered body…

"So the humans went on their way, Gohan went home, and Trunks is leaving tomorrow…" I murmured to myself. "Goku is dead… _Broly_ is dead…" I sighed, my eyelids lowering as I began to rub my knees.

My mate was gone… and for some reason, Goku's death that early noon really put it into perspective. I would _never_ have to put up with Broly's increasingly violence-prone sickness… But I would never get to see that rare, dopey smile again… Or how sometimes he would approach me… and just rest his forehead on mine when he was emotionally drained.

'And those sly looks he used to give me…' I found myself with a lopsided smirk as I thought back…

...

_A sixteen-year old Midori was resting silently on her stomach, her arms serving as a pillow; it had been a long day. Though her eyes were closed, the female Saiyan was fully awake, and so could perfectly feel Broly's energy as he entered the room._

_He made his way sluggishly to her bedside and stopped. After a few still moments, Midori cracked an eye open. "Yes?" She pushed herself up a bit. "You need something?"_

_The tall Saiyan inhaled deeply, followed by a heavy sigh; nothing unusual for him… _

_Midori arched a brow in question._

_Slowly, Broly's head lowered as he grumbled something unintelligible._

"_What?"_

"_I _said_…" he brought his head back up, eyelids low, lips smirking. "There are no cushions."_

_Midori stared up at Broly, eyes slowly widening. "…Yeah?" She knew that look; he was up to something. Suddenly, the teen found herself grunting loudly in surprise as she was all but body slammed by the _much_ larger male._

_Broly made himself comfortable much like Midori had done previously, meanwhile she attempted to un-stick her face from the bed. His crossed __arms __in the crook of her neck made it a difficult task._

"_Ugh, you _would_ use me as a cushion!" Midori squirmed, but to no avail._

_Broly turned his face so he was resting on his right cheek and sighed again, eyes sliding shut. "It's called improvising," he replied perfectly serious._

"_Broly!"_

_No reply._

"_Broly…"_

_More silence._

_Midori huffed loudly. He had won that battle._

_..._

"Hey…"

My head snapped up and my grin vanished as I noticed Bulma standing in the doorway with her arms folded.

"When you're done smiling to yourself you can come downstairs and hang out with us." She then slinked away with a smirk of her own.

Yeah…

I fell back on one elbow and scratched my head. "No use dwelling on the past; no amount of shy smiles and comforting sighs will overwrite some of things he did…or took from me…"

…Or make me wish he were still alive.

I nibbled at my bottom lip. 'Goku, on the other hand…' My heart throbbed for a second.

…

I quirked an eyebrow up at Trunks, who was sitting in a chair next to me, his grandmother snipping away at his long hair. "Yamcha already told you what happened. Vegeta… tried to avenge your death." I shrugged, bringing a knee up to my chest.

I was on the carpet, one hand fondling the furry floor tapestry, the other holding baby Trunks' hand as he wobbled upright on his legs. Bulma was pacing across the far end of the large entertainment room, on a conference call.

"Yeah, but—tell me more!"

I collapsed onto my side, the baby immediately squealing as he rushed towards my face with his arms flailing. "Well," I caught both of the boy's hands that were aimed towards my mouth and hair. "He was so angry… I could _feel_ it."

The teen's eyes widened slightly as he struggled to look down at me without moving. "Oh… from that sibling bond thing, right?" he inquired, and I nodded.

"Yes. He was so mad in fact, that he could have blown us all up too." I chuckled slightly as the smaller of the Trunks' fell onto his knees, making loud, frustrated noises.

The older of the two actually leaned forward that time, eyes big. "Whoa, sounds intense!"

Mrs. Brief pouted. "Trunks, darling, you gotta sit straight for me."

"Oh—sorry, grandma." He leaned back again, gaze fixed on the ceiling; the teen was probably trying to imagine his father in action.

I sighed quietly as I also thought of my brother, and what he might've been doing at that moment…

…

…

The next morning was hectic. Bulma was running around like a chicken with her head cut off (I finally found out what chickens were), all four stove burners were on, and pancake batter was everywhere.

I had learned that pancake batter… _really_ tasted nothing like regular cake batter. But I was up to my elbows in it anyway. After all, Panchy (Mrs. Brief) and I had made two boxes worth and came out with four platters stacked almost two feet high with the breakfast confections (which tasted much, _much_ better after being cooked). Two platters piled with bacon were placed between the other plates when Trunks shuffled into the surprisingly average kitchen.

"Hey guys, what's going on in here? I could hear all the commotion from upstairs." The boy of the morning paused next to the dining table where the food was laid out. "Nice! My favorite!" I gave him a lopsided smile as he immediately jumped into a chair and began serving himself.

Bulma had vanished to who-knows-where, so her mother and I seated ourselves next. Trunks was at the head of the table, Mrs. Brief to his left, and me to his right.

"So, butter first… then syrup?" I took note of what the teen was doing as he nodded, and began helping myself.

Bulma swept in a second later, holding baby Trunks on her hip. "Would you believe that some of our offices were destroyed in those earthquakes yesterday?!" She placed the toddler in his special seat next to Mrs. Brief and then walked around us to the refrigerator. "Boy, I'd like to give that Cell a piece of my mind right about now!"

I stood briefly, making sure I was pouring the syrup properly over my miniature mountain of "flap-jacks".

Ms. Brief piped up "Oh my, looks like you've got your work cut out for you!".

Just as the heiress was about to agree with her mother, I let out a loud exclamation through my closed mouth, pulling four pairs of eyes in my direction.

"THIS IS _REALLY_ GOOD!" I exclaimed with a mouthful of the fluffy, buttery, maple syrup-bathed bread. "Better than eating them plain!"

Trunks snorted into his milk as Bulma and her mother laughed at my revelation.

…

A few hours later, I popped the collar of my black turtleneck and flattened down my jean overalls as each friend said their heartfelt goodbyes to Trunks. First in line was Yamcha, then Krillin, Gohan, Master Roshi, Mrs. Brief, and even the talking pig… Oolong, was it?

I leaned back against a tree a little ways off when something brushed against my shoulder. Turning slightly, I noticed Vegeta, who oddly enough was dressed in casual human attire: a blue, long-sleeved shirt with slacks. I offered him the tiniest smile as we made eye contact; he glanced away with an indifferent gaze.

I wondered what he'd been up to since the previous afternoon…

Just then, Bulma grasped one of Trunks' hands in hers. "I'm really proud of you, son."

"Thanks, mom."

"Be careful!"

"Right." The teen then walked forward, a little past Vegeta and I, where he stopped and settled his sights on us. "Dad… Midori."

Vegeta's face remained impassive, though his wrist did flick up briefly as he flashed his son a "peace sign".

The half-Saiyan returned the gesture with a smile.

I chuckled slightly, pushing myself away from the tree and strolling up to my nephew. I reached out, Trunks doing the same, and caught his hand in a loud clap of a handshake. I immediately pulled him forward, my other arm going around his shoulders as I bumped his back once with my fist. No words were exchanged as we laughed lightly, parting.

We all watched silently as he jumped into his egg-shaped time machine; it reminded me a little of Paragus' ship. It began hovering, and Trunks waved down at us. "So long!"

Bulma waved back with fervor. "Love you, Trunks! Goodbye~!"

Gohan stepped forward. "Bye Trunks, you're the greatest!"

Yamcha and Krillin shouted as well.

"Later, dude!"

"Bye, Trunks!"

The teen called back one last time. "See you guys!" and his time-craft flitted out of sight…

'And off he goes…' There was a sudden draft and my tail shivered, sending a small shudder up my spine. 'Time to go inside… it's getting chilly…' I removed my eyes from the clouds and looked behind me. Everyone else was still staring at the spot where Trunks vanished except for Gohan… He was turned completely around, gazing up in the opposite direction… Hmm…

…

Later that evening, I sat in my room again, staring at a rectangular photograph; one of Trunks and I (that Bulma had made a few copies of) splayed across the couch and floor. 'The evening before Cell's tournament…' I smirked at the sight of Trunks' hair pooling over my waist as he slept against the couch's edge, and how I was hugging the pillow under me, my mouth hanging open. Empty Pizza and ice cream containers surrounded us.

My smirk widened. "It's time to take your life back, kid… I know you can do it…"

…

"_YEAAAAH!_ TURN IT UP!"

So, Bulma had convinced everyone present that we should have a celebration instead of mourning... _Alright_. That was fine, but...

I couldn't help but laugh from the couch as Bulma raised her drink even higher from _her_ spot atop the living room table; the beverage sloshed about, nearly splashing its holder. Blue hair disheveled and shirt half off her shoulder, Bulma was partying hard.

Krillin obliged his long-time friend and soon the entertainment room (and probably the entire wing) was filled with the sound of "Guns N Roses": a favorite band of Bulma's I had recently discovered.

The Capsule Corporation heiress began swinging her head from side to side, her straightened hair following the movements like a shaken tassel. She opened her mouth, having to practically scream over the music. "I SEE YOUR SISTER IN HER SUNDAY DREEESS~ SHE'S OUT TO PLEASE, SHE POUTS HER BEST~"

_**She's out to take, no need to tryyyy—she's ready to make.**_

"IT'S SO EAS-AY, EAS-AY, WHEN EVERYBODY'S TRYNA PLEASE ME, BABAY!"

_**It's so easy, easy, when everybody's tryin' to please me~**_

The… "electric guitar" instrument they were using was rough sounding, yet still had me tapping my foot, strangely. 'But damn…' I dipped my pinky finger into my ear and dug around for a second before removing the digit. 'You'd think we were all deaf or something.'

Gohan, who was dancing with Baby Trunks, spun around in circles as he bounced the child in his arms. Just when I could tell the eleven-year old was getting dizzy, he twirled in my direction and plopped down next to me (right as Yamcha and Krillin joined Bulma on the table). After shaking off the spinning vision, Gohan leaned over a bit and yelled, "Gosh, I wonder if that table is gonna hold up?" Trunks was flailing happily in his arms.

"We shall see!" I called back before taking a long sip of my margarita. 'Damn, this stuff is good.'

Two hours later saw just that and all three of them passed out, snoring. It was amusing to say the least…

I turned the volume knob probably two hundred and seventy degrees before it was at an acceptable level, then punched the power button, silencing the radio altogether.

Trunks had already been put down for the night and the three stooges were dragged to their respective rooms. That just left Gohan and me.

The boy-wonder was sitting on the couch again, attempting to fold his suit jacket neatly without getting baby spit on his fingers that the overcoat was so laden with; He sighed wearily. "Krillin was supposed to take me back home. I guess I'll just have to fly alone."

It was well past sundown at almost 9 P.M. when I made myself comfortable beside Gohan. "I hear you live quite a ways off." But it wasn't like I could teleport him home; I was not familiar with his mother's energy signal.

…His mother… hmm.

For some odd reason I had failed to connect the dots between Goku and the natural, _obvious_ reason Gohan was alive: His wife, his _lover_—the child's mother…

I sighed dejectedly, hoping the boy would mistake it for tiredness. Secretly I wondered what living with Goku and raising a child would be like…

Sensing a pair of eyes on me, I glanced over at Gohan… who was smiling from ear to ear much like his father used to…

And that was how I found myself flying away from Capsule Corporation by moonlight, the large island capital waning as ocean took the scenery.

I folded my arms loosely as we flew over the black water, the previously full moon above us reflecting in the choppy waves like large diamonds on a dark canvas.

"Thanks for flying me home, Miss Midori!" Gohan chirped from beside me. "I've never had to fly all the way back from West City at night!"

I smiled, replying, "You can drop the 'miss'. You'll come to find that I'm quite casual." I inhaled the brisk air deeply before continuing. "Besides, I consider you my equal now, Gohan… if not _more_. Escorting the planet's hero would be my pleasure."

As long as I didn't have to stay and make pleasantries afterwards…

A multitude of nameless archipelagos, a few cities, and nearly an hour later, I found myself descending beside Gohan in a small clearing. Encircling us was thick forest vegetation in which the wilderness was loud and active. A large rodent passed by; it was actually… cute... Its facial fur made it look like it was wearing a mask. I smirked as the grey and black creature scurried back into the blanketing darkness of the forest edge.

In the midst of all this was a charming house (dome-shaped like Capsule Corp) with a quaint chimney spouting puffs of smoke. The windows around the side were lit up. His mother (or whoever) was still awake…

I ambled on towards the front door, almost there when I noticed Gohan had fallen behind. I turned around, continuing backwards as I neared the house fully. The boy was taking his time, edging towards me as he began fidgeting with his now thoroughly wrinkled jacket.

I stuffed my hands into my deep overall pockets, fingering some lint as I tilted my head back slightly. "Is something wrong?"

Just as Gohan's feet scuffed the dirt beside me, the front entrance swung open and light spilled onto us, causing my eyes to squint.

"GOHAN!"

The female's voice was octaves louder than I was expecting, causing not only Gohan to flinch, but me to practically jump out of my sneakers.

"WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN? SUPPER WAS HOURS AGO; YOU WERE SUPPOSED TO BE HOME BEFORE SIX!"

Gohan merely scratched the back of his head as my jaw dropped and eyes widened.

_That_ was his mother?

I stared down at the petite woman, who was slightly shorter than Bulma, dressed in oriental clothing that covered everything from her neck down.

Her black hair was pulled into a large top knot; some strands were left loose to hang in front of her ears. Oddly enough, she was pretty… just… scary as hell.

She turned her large eyes unto me; the dark orbs were sharp like a bird of prey's. "And just _who…_" she trailed off.

I noted that her eyes were level with my clavicle. She brought her gaze up, eyes widening in shock as she took in my full height.

"… are _you?_"

"Uh…" I picked my jaw up off of the floor (figuratively) and blinked. "I'm… Vegeta's sister."

Shit, wait—

"What?!" She leaned back, the surprise evident all over her face before she took on a more defensive demeanor. "If you think I'm going to let you corrupt my Gohan, you've got another thing—"

"Mom, no! she's not like that!" Gohan held his hands up. "She helped me beat Cell! Without her we might not be here right now!" He was giving me more credit than was due, but with the human and the way she was acting…

She immediately straightened up, blinking at me.

We all blinked at each other for the next minute.

My eyelids finally drooped in boredom. "Well, I'll be on my way now…" with that I turned on my heel.

"Wait!"

Damn it…

I squeezed my eyes tight before glancing down at Gohan, who was holding my wrist with both of hands.

"Please stay!" Gohan grinned back, and we somehow found ourselves transitioning from awkwardness to tea in the living area of their home.

_Sigh_, that kid…

I sat slumped over a circular table, my fingers casually interlocked, when I noticed Chi-Chi across the room struggling to reach some container just out of her reach. Pushing myself up quietly, I approached the small woman and reached over her, easily grasping a jar of sugar.

She let out a small gasp as she whipped around, and I quickly took a step back. I really didn't want her screaming in my face…

"Goodness gracious!" Chi-Chi exclaimed breathlessly as she took the container of sugar from my outstretched hand. "You're almost as tall as… my…" she trailed off, her face taking on a more dismal expression.

Her husband. That is what she was going to say.

Shifting my gaze away, I took a side step to give her the space to walk past. As she did so, I followed silently, taking my place at the table again. Gohan shuffled up at the same time and we exchanged smiles as he pulled out his chair to sit in.

There was a much calmer aura then… and I was surprisingly relaxed in the unfamiliar setting. But maybe that was because… I was in Goku's home.

As Chi-Chi poured three cups of tea, I leaned forward on my forearms and bowed my head low whilst scanning the room.

'He would have walked in and out of that door everyday… sat at this very table… relaxed on that couch… and reached over his wife to help her reach high-up shelves…'

I glanced briefly at the petite housewife when she took her seat, "Thank you…" and sat up to my full height. Bringing the tea cup up to my mouth, I watched for a moment as the steam quivered under my breath and my murky reflection rippled… but then lowered the china, sensing a pair of eyes on me.

Sure enough as I stared evenly across the table, Chi-Chi was gazing back as if lost intensely in thought, her eyes slightly widened in wonder.

I frowned, not really appreciating all of the attention. "Yes?"

She blinked, her posture becoming more erect as her hands curled around the steaming cup before her. Chi-Chi's eyes then closed briefly, one brow arching. "Pardon me for staring," she responded, opting to take a sip of her tea. "I guess I just imagined a _woman _of the Saiyan race would look different."

This observation brought an impish grin to my face as I leaned forward again, Gohan also scooting his chair closer. "And just what did you expect?" I wanted to hear this stereotype.

"Well you're a lot less menacing than I imagined…" She brought a fist up to her chin in a thoughtful manner. "But… well, there are always exceptions…" she trailed off with a tiny smile, closing her eyes again momentarily. When they opened, the dark orbs had trailed over to a small lamp table where a picture frame stood.

I squinted as my eyes as I took in the figures of Goku standing tall in the center, a much smaller Gohan held on his shoulder, and his petite wife leaning against him. My grin slowly vanished despite the calm happiness that the photograph imbued, and I nodded, humming softly in agreement.

Feeling a tug at my heart, I stood swiftly, drawing in two pairs of eyes that quickly widened as I snatched up my tea cup and downed the previously scalding liquid in two dribbling gulps. I then wiped my chin with the black sleeve of my turtleneck and let out a dry laugh. "Thank you for the hospitality, but I really must be leaving."

Chi-Chi rose cautiously as Gohan leapt up, accompanying me to the front door as I stuffed my hands into my overall pockets.

"Will you be coming back?" he questioned politely as I grasped the door knob.

My gaze slid from the hard wood to his youthful face. "…Yeah. I will be back." My eyes then shifted to his mother. She was standing by the dining table with a hand over her chest, staring back as if not quite sure what to make of the situation. I smirked, "Expect a visit soon." then made my exit, closing the door behind me and cutting off the warm environment and boisterous farewells of Gohan.

I took a few steps into the black night, tugging at my turtleneck and letting out a shuddering breath. "Thought I was about to suffocate…"

'It's amazing… in such a short time just the image of that man sends my emotions into a jumble… Glad I got out of there before I made a scene…'

_Sigh_…

'Time to head back to Capsule Corp, I guess…' As I brought two fingers to my forehead, I hummed thoughtfully, wondering how the future counterparts of my new home and family were holding up…

* * *

"Enough of this! You're gone and here's your going away present!" Green, speckled hands cupped together as their owner began harvesting energy. "Ka… me… ha… me…"

Trunks stared up at Cell's permanently imperfect form high above him, already bruised and battered. Words ran through the Saiyan's head—words he'd reflected on many times but had never been able to say with as much fervor as he had building in that moment. The teen lifted his hands above his head, as if holding up some imaginary object; molten, gold energy engulfed him.

"_HAA_—uh?!" Cell recoiled his attack as the half-Saiyan below him erupted with ki, sending a full-body attack straight for the android.

Trunks opened his mouth, and bellowed those words he'd wanted to scream for the longest time: "THE NIGHTMARE IS OVER, CELL—DIE!" He couldn't have felt any lighter as he heard the monster's final screams, and watched as the android disintegrated. Slowly, Trunks brought his arms down alongside his aura, and his hair fell back into its purple, natural place. 'Now I can finally say that it's _really_ over…Thanks to you father… and Gohan and Midori… and especially you, Goku. You're the greatest.'

Trunks smirked up at the wave-resembling clouds for some time… when two familiar energies suddenly perked his senses.

"Huh?" The teen turned left and right, his eyes searching over the grasslands in confusion. He finally spotted two figures in the distance… one standing, one squatting... "It can't be…" The more he stared, the further his inhuman eyes focused and the harder his heart pounded.

_He_ was standing at the top of a hill, arms folded confidently over his chest. His predominantly orange outfit was what Trunks noticed first, followed by short, spiky hair. _She_ was squatting next to him, elbows resting on her thighs, hands hanging leisurely as something behind her swayed from side-to-side.

Trunks nearly choked. "G-Gohan! Midori!" he leaned forward slightly, about to fly to them at full speed, when something stopped him. Though he could just make out the white of their eyes, his aunt's lips moved, and he could hear her comforting, husky voice just over his shoulder.

"I knew you could do it…"

Trunks floated, frozen in mid air as he watched the Gohan he knew and loved pull the equally beloved Midori up by the hand. Both adults then turned their backs on the teen. The eerily realistic image of the older male placed a strong arm around her shoulders as they walked away. Gohan suddenly turned to meet Trunks' gaze one last time as he smirked, and nodded meaningfully to the awestruck half-Saiyan.

Their heads were just about to disappear over the top of the hill when Trunks' fist clenched and he reacted. "W-wait!" He blasted off and soon landed just where they had been standing seconds before… "_Uh_—they're gone!" Trunks twisted around and looked up and down; he could no longer see them or sense them…

The lavender-haired teen's eyes fell to the lush, green floor beneath him, his brow furrowing. 'They're gone…' He stood that way for some time as his heart rate eventually regulated. 'But…' Trunks brought his eyes back up to the sky once more, tilting his head back. His cropped bangs fell aside as his sapphire eyes reflected the clouds.

Trunks smiled. 'At least I got to see them again.'

* * *

Far, far away in the Other World, two men were shuffling away from a large, white mansion: the Grand Kai's home.

"Man…" Goku threw his arms into the air and leaned back, stretching until he heard his spine pop. Standing abruptly straight again, he huffed. "I was looking forward to those private lessons, King Kai."

The newly deceased king of the northern quadrant had been in a sour mood ever since the Grand Kai had announced that both Goku and Pikkon were disqualified—disqualified for touching the "ceiling" of the arena in which they were fighting… "And now I'm homeless again." The short, blue god sighed, thinking out loud. So much for winning his bet _and_ gaining _West_ Kai's planet to replace his nonexistent home…

"Aw, cheer up King Kai! We'll find you a place in no time!" Goku, who had been walking a few paces behind his mentor, caught up with the shorter being. "You could even go live with one of the other Kais in the meantime, _riiiight?_" He bent forward slightly as he addressed the king, holding his hands out and smiling optimistically.

In response, one of the Kai's antennas twitched; the northern god stared ahead, preferring to leave that question unanswered.

"Hey Northey!" A deep, yet friendly voice called out.

The two paused to look over their shoulders with raised brows.

The king of the Southern galaxy approached the deceased twosome with a calm smile. Unlike Goku's King Kai, this man was almost the Saiyan's height and had pink skin.

"Before you all head on out, I have something to discuss with you." Despite the man wearing completely black sunglasses, Goku could tell that the Kai was directing his speech at his northern counterpart. "You may recall the recent events that left my galaxy…"

Goku's attention was lost as he recalled the great food he'd eaten just before his fight with Pikkon. 'I could _definitely_ go for some more!'

"You mentioned that Goku was a super '_Saiyan', _and I remembered something…"

The martial artist in mention smiled obliviously; he was too busy wondering if the Grand Kai's home-world had any good dining spots.

"You want me to take him under _my_ wing?!"

"Well I thought you and your new rookie might be more qualified in _this_ department…"

Goku's gaze shifted from the pinkish-purple sky to the South Kai's waist. The Saiyan blinked. A boy, maybe four or five years old, had appeared next to South Kai. He looked _mighty_ familiar, too. "Hey… whose kid?"

King Kai's antennae twitched again. "If you had bothered to listen—" The northern god stopped short when his pupil bent forward with an outstretched hand.

"Hi, my name's Goku!" The deceased hero waited patiently as the child withdrew from his gesture with wide eyes, clinging fearfully to the pink-skinned god. Goku blinked, but smiled nonetheless. Getting down on one knee, the Saiyan tried again. "Hey little guy, what's your name?" he asked softly. Goku felt a bit sympathetic for the child being dead at such a young age, but was intensely curious as to how the boy had wound up with the South Kai.

And the kid just looked so awfully familiar! His mane was long and black… 'Just like Gohan's when he was that age… but hair isn't everything.' No, Gohan had big, round eyes like Goku… this child's eyes were more narrow, and slightly upturned… and his gangs were parted.

South Kai cleared his throat. "Come on now, boy. What happened to that overly affectionate personality? He's one of your kind!" The god took the initiative to hook his leg behind the child and push him forward, just a foot in front of Goku's still offered hand.

Earth's hero cocked his head to the side and blinked again. "_Oh!_ He's a Saiyan?" Goku grinned broadly as he dropped his tiring hand. "Well, I probably wouldn't have noticed with your tail missing!" he exclaimed, pointing towards the child's waist. The boy gulped and Goku could practically see his hair standing on end.

'Man, this kid's got it bad!'

"Go on, introduce ya'self!" South Kai urged.

The child's arm suddenly jolted up and he exclaimed in his tiny voice: "I'm Lattice!"

Goku laughed in good nature, grasping the boy's small hand in his own. "Nice to meet you, Lattice!"

So he was a Saiyan named— 'Wait a minute…' Goku suddenly leaped back, his own black spikes standing on end. "LATTICE?!"

_"Look, my love… doesn't the boy remind you of Lattice?"_

Goku knew _exactly_ who the child resembled…

"King Kai!" the older Saiyan turned to face his mentor with wide eyes. "Don't tell me that's Midori's son—you know—with _Broly?!_"

"We already discussed this, Goku! Where were you?"

"Uh…" Just as he was about to respond, Goku felt a tugging at his pant leg. Looking down, he saw that Lattice had abandoned any bit of shyness he'd had before. The tiny Saiyan had one hand on his hip, the other fisted around the fabric of Goku's pants.

Lattice stared up at Goku expectantly. "You know my mommy and daddy?"

The orange-clad male gazed back for a moment, at a loss for words. How was he going to come out and say he'd killed the boy's father? Was the child even _aware_ of Broly's evil deeds? 'They never mentioned this part in the hero description…' Goku joked with himself.

But upon further notice of the boy's facial expression, the older Saiyan was struck with a familiar, comforting feeling. He could just imagine Midori standing there with her hand on her hip, staring at him with a brow arched in expectancy. Lattice may have been a miniature of Broly, but right then Goku was only seeing the boy's mother. 'Yeah… he's not just Broly's son… he's Dori's son too.'

So the Earth-born Saiyan simply smiled in response.

...

An immeasurable amount of time passed in the otherworld after that—weeks, months, a year—maybe two. But, from that moment on Goku had risen to the challenge more than willingly. Even if, at times, Lattice had proven to be a handful for the older Saiyan, (to the point where Goku had to carefully schedule time for his own training in a realm where time mattered not) Earth's hero found himself ecstatic with having his own pupil in the afterlife.

'This kid has _sooo_ much potential, I can feel it!' Goku cracked a grin, unable to concentrate any further towards the end of his meditating. With one eye, he peeked at the napping child a ways off from him.

Lattice lay perfectly still in the overgrown grass, much like a casket body would with his hands folded neatly over his rising and falling chest.

'Sure is relaxed!' Goku observed with a small laugh. 'Makes me wanna kick my boots off and do the same.' He entertained the idea for a few seconds before deciding he'd much rather train.

Goku smirked as he rose from his lotus position and stretched. "While the little rascal is still down for the count."

…

A lone Monarch fluttered by, catching Lattice's attention and totally mesmerizing the small boy.

Goku paused beside his smaller companion. "Hmm?" Lattice had been leading the way after all.

The older Saiyan watched with a sheepish smile as Lattice's head tipped back to watch as the butterfly scored a goal through the glowing halo above his head before floating off. The younger of the two continued to gaze with large eyes as the winged insect flew away.

In the time the two spent together, even _Goku_ had gathered that Lattice was an airhead. The two could be sitting together and if Lattice got off track, he would have to wave a hand in the boy's face to bring him back. Even worse, when the child was distracted during training... Well, it was a good thing Lattice was already dead for all of the close calls he'd had.

Goku saw this as a great handicap in battle, but continued to teach the boy in a dedicated manner nonetheless. 'I wonder how Midori kept him focused?' A brief flash of her cool, concentrated, lethal fighting style caused a small smirk to take his lips before realizing that Lattice had gone chasing after the butterfly in the opposite direction they had been heading.

"Hey kiddo, weren't you going to show me something '_cool'?_" Goku called with a smile, somewhat looking over his shoulder to speak to the boy.

"Huh?" Lattice blinked as if being released from a hypnotized state. "…Yeah! Over here!" He toddled off through shoulder-high grass that just barely licked his teacher's knees.

Goku continued just behind Midori's son, chuckling softly.

The two full-blooded Saiyans continued on a few minutes, passing a few stray fighters from each galaxy until finally…

'Wait a minute…' Goku froze as Lattice kneeled at the edge of a small lake. 'Something's not right…' He slid his gaze over from Lattice to the water's bank with a furrowed brow.

There was something around them… something distorting both of their power levels…

The small boy bounced to his kung fu slipper-clad feet with a large smile. "Down here! Let's gooo~!" As Lattice prepared to jump headlong into the lake, Goku shot a hand out in alarm, but was too late.

There was no splash when he submerged… only the following ripples of disturbed water.

And then the boy's spiritual energy signal disappeared altogether.

'_What?_' two fingers instinctively shot to Goku's forehead as he searched for his younger companion's energy… with no luck.

Goku's jaw dropped in shock as his hand went limp. He immediately straightened up, knowing something was definitely _not_ right. "So much for going straight back to train," Earth's hero sighed.

He wasted no time undressing and followed Lattice's lead, diving straight in with a near professional finesse. His eyes briefly shut as he felt a cool sensation envelope his entire body and no sooner began kicking his legs as he exhaled hard through his nose to gain more depth.

It was then that Goku's eyes snapped open in surprise.

It was not water and bubbles he felt released from his nose, but _AIR_…

"I can _breathe_ down here?" Goku questioned in disbelief as a few bubbles floated from his mouth seemingly for show. Even his voice sounded normal 'underwater'. The way he was suspended sure felt like he was in water, but as he took a moment to adjust to his surroundings, "I'm not even wet—wow!"

'Oh!' his brows rose as he remembered why he was even in the current position, and he glanced down: the only direction available… Pitch blackness returned his incredulous gaze. 'That sure looks inviting…'

Goku's face settled into concentration as he reached towards his toes then brought his legs up and behind him and began kicking. The further he propelled himself into darkness, the further confused he became. Barely able to make out his very own pale hands cutting through the water before him, Goku wasn't sure whether he was swimming up or down, or if he was even moving forward at all!

'Come on..! There has to be a way outta here!' He huffed, his eyebrows furrowing as he searched for any sign if Lattice around him.

The boy had jumped in with no hesitation… surely he'd known what to expect… and was okay… hopefully.

"Hmm?" Goku's eyebrows perked as he noticed the black veil surrounding him had been somewhat lifted, and in front of him—whether up or down he still didn't know—a dim light was getting closer. 'Okay, now we're getting somewhere…' Up until that point, Goku had wanted to travel at a slow pace, in case he passed by Lattice on accident, but just as the older Saiyan attempted to tap into his ki and rush forward—

"I can't even use my energy?!" Goku exclaimed, having tensed his muscles for flight but still floated in place. He had grown more annoyed at the circumstances. "Fine, I'll _keep_ swimming!" he proclaimed in a defiant, slightly childish tone as he returned to frog kicking.

Charcoal bled into cloudy grey, then into a light smoky color, finally white, blinding light—

Goku felt the sensation of breaking the surface as he instinctively shook his hair out. "Oh... right..." he smiled sheepishly, his hair just as dry as ever, as well as the rest of his body. "But… where am I..?" Goku scanned the small room he was in: tiled floors and walls, porcelain… He was in a bathroom... and happened to be floating in a bathtub full of water!

He realized this with an arch of a brow and sloshed about, attempting to turn around.

Suddenly, a pair of thighs were framing his face. A woman was submerged just enough to cover her nipples in bubbles.

Goku leaped from the tub, fear gripping him; the kind that arose from startled women hurling objects at his face. One hand covered his eyes as the other hand groped wildly for a door. "I DIDN'T SEE ANYTHING, I SWEAR," he exclaimed in an attempt to keep his bath-mate from throwing a fit and possibly harming him.

But there were no screams, not even a drop of water disturbed.

The dead hero frowned again when he realized he couldn't feel a presence coming from the bathing woman either, and finally allowed himself to turn around slowly with slightly parted fingers.

The mystery woman's hair was completely wrapped in a towel, some kind of green paste hiding most of her facial features, and sliced cucumbers resting over her eyelids. She was perfectly still.

Goku's hand slid away as he cocked his head to the side. 'Is she even alive…?' his answer was thankfully answered right away as she sighed contently, one of her shoulders moving whilst adjusting her position slightly. 'Okay...' his eyes widened slightly as he exited through an already opened door into a large bedroom, and then out through yet another open door into a hallway.

There had been something familiar about that sigh though…

Goku had yet to figure out his location. In the next minute he'd come to fully realize that he could not use _any_ of his powers; no flight, no extra sensory abilities, no energy blasting, no _nothing!_

The hallway he was in was taking him around a continuous curb; from that he could easily recognize the dome-shaped structure of the building.

'But how do I find out—'

"Goookuu!"

The deceased in mention swiveled his attention to his knees, where Lattice had just grabbed a hold. "Whoa, hey buddy! I didn't even hear you!" Goku brushed the back of his right hand lightly over the child's bangs as he hummed in thought. "Didn't really sense you either…"

After a few moments of thoughtful silence and Lattice resting his head on the side of Goku's lower thigh, the elder inquired, "You wouldn't happen to know why no-one can see or hear us?"

The boy tilted his head up, his arms wrapping around Goku's knee completely. "We're ghosties here!"

"GHOSTS!?" the cogs in the Saiyan's brain began turning a bit faster, and he realized that indeed, the woman before had lacked a halo!

An impromptu yawn caused man and boy to turn clockwise, and a petite girl—maybe a young teen—passed by sluggishly.

'I guess we really are ghosts here…' Goku thought, wide eyed at the young woman paying them no mind.

A few strands of carrot-colored hair poked out from slicked back locks, which lead to a high pony tail of dangling curls that bobbed to the rhythm of her steps. As the girl stopped in front of a door just a few feet from the duo, she placed her hands on her hips and bowed her head low, inhaling and exhaling deeply as if winded.

Goku watched the girl closely, the feeling in his gut returning that something just wasn't right. It didn't even faze the Saiyan when Lattice released his leg and skipped over to the girl with an inquisitive smile. Goku stared hard as she lifted a hand—shaking—the rest of her arm and upper half covered by a red sweater, and knocked on the pale wood before her.

The halo-bearing hero's hands found their way to his hips as he made his way cautiously over. He was standing just inches to her left, Lattice already flanking her right side, all the while she was oblivious. The three of them were facing the door now: the middle silent, breathing somewhat awkwardly, the other two expectant and curious.

'Maybe she and whoever she's looking for can tell me where I am…' Goku had a feeling they had somehow made their way back to Earth, but with his special senses stunned and useless, they could have been on a whole different planet for all he knew; he needed concrete answers for himself...

* * *

**Wow, that took a long while to get out. Life has been pretty crappy, but DBZ is like an old friend; it always make me feel better. So here I am :) Next chapter the action will pick up, but it'll be a bit different~**

**Who's the girl, who's she waiting on, and where did Lattice lead Goku to?**


	14. All Hallow's Eve Part 1

**Chapter 14: All Hallow's Eve, Part 1.**

**/~/**

The calendar on my wall stated October 31st boldly against the white paper it was printed on.

So many things had happened in the last two years…

Cell's defeat, the space pirate (Bojack) and his crew… and Goku's second-born, Goten, who I had taken one look at and practically ran for the hills… All the while playing guard dog to Bulma and her father's company. And, through those times, I had battled with the emotional losses of Paragus and Broly; coming to Earth, facing a new adversary, and losing... Goku... had both delayed and started my healing process. I healed the wounds that each of them had created over the years and with time mourned for the man and boy I grew up with. Goku on the other hand...

I smiled, remembering his smile.

_Sigh…_

Also, I had recently turned thirty two, and a couple weeks since then I was going to partake on my very first "Halloween" with Trunks, who had turned three.

I would be having company as well…

Smiling softly, I peeled off my stretchy sparring apparel, several areas of my body red courtesy of Vegeta.

'How long has it been?'

Just a couple months…

'And how in the world did I get myself sucked into this situation? Oh yeah… heh, I remember…'

….

_The color scheme is what had caught the attention of her hawk eyes. She'd never seen a human with such dark skin and bright hair; a complexion like caramel and hair like sweet orange peppers—a girl. _

_As the female onlooker sat at a small café table, a thought passed her mind: 'Maybe she just dyes like Bulma'. After all, Bulma's natural hair color was purple._

_But the humanoid alien's intrigue did not wane there. She continued to stare with her sharp eyes, analyzing the passing stranger, her mind formulating scenarios in the span of seconds. _

_What was the context behind a simple walk?_

_It was near midnight._

_Her feet were dragging. Backpack over one shoulder._

_Occasional flick of the wrist, glance at the clock._

_She was student… or a loner… and late for something; exhausted._

'_And… she's being followed.'_

_Steely, dark eyes slid from the lone redhead to two suspect looking men in biker fashion following at half a block's berth. 'I guess I've found today's victim…' Pulling the hood of her baggy sweatshirt on, the onlooker pursued the stalkers at an inconspicuous distance._

_Why was she doing this? It all started when she'd sat down to keep an eye on her nephew as they watched Saturday morning cartoons. Lots of the animations featured "super heroes": Select individuals with strength and abilities far greater than those around them, who used their powers for good and frequented saving the poor or defenseless._

"_I should try that." she had decided._

_And that was how Midori found herself taking midnight strolls through West City every Friday night since._

_The Saiyan could hear the derogatory remarks they were making under their breath, causing her eyes to narrow and fists to form. 'This girl is going to be spared a very traumatic experience… But these men?' She could feel her blood boil in response; Midori had learned of the physical disadvantages human women had and how their men repeatedly exploited them. Earth was not an exception by any rate, but was one on a very small list._

_Before long, Midori found herself facing a situation that was sadly predictable: the girl had wandered down an alley (whether she knew she was being followed or not) and was cornered, staring down a couple of men with far from chivalrous intent. _

_The saiyan approached both males from behind casually, her hooded figure giving her the advantage of situational camouflage._

_A few feeble pleads were exchanged with perverted comments._

_Midori's eyes flashed in the dark as she stood erect, barely a forearm's distance from the would-be attackers, matching both of their heights. "I don't suppose this is just a friendly rendezvous?" Before she knew it, a switch blade was pointed at her face from one side and a revolver from the other; she didn't restrain from chuckling. "Please." Both of her arms shot forward, the backs of her hands smacking each weapon out of the men's grasps, and then the wind out of their lungs with well placed jabs to their diaphragms._

_As the lechers fell to their knees gasping, Midori's eyes trailed over to the shaken redhead who was backed against the wall, clutching herself with wide, horrified and shimmering eyes. _

_Midori regarded the fallen men once more with a tight-lipped expression before locking eyes with the girl. "I mean no harm." she held up a single hand in a non-offensive way._

"_C-coulda… fooled me…"_

_Midori caught the girl's tiny voice that most wouldn't have and glanced down at the movement by her feet. With some fast footwork, she stepped on one man's back (easily pinning him down) and 'tapped' the other in the gut with her toes, causing him to double over again. "These men won't be bothering you anymore," the Saiyan replied gruffly, her patience starting to wane. "You are free to go." She gestured towards the alley opening behind her._

_One slow step at a time, the young redhead advanced, cautious, heart thumping loud enough for the unknown alien to hear; both females were eye-locked, (albeit Midori's were shaded over by a large gray hood) until the younger of the two stopped just feet from the Saiyan. The human girl visibly gulped as she gazed upon the pinned man alongside his fetal-positioned partner. "What are you… gonna do to them?" She was still clutching herself as if exposed to freezing temperatures._

_Midori quirked an eyebrow at the question. This was the first person that hadn't high-tailed it for their lives after being nearly attacked and witnessing their _attackers_ being embarrassingly overthrown by a lone stranger. The older female shrugged a shoulder. "If I see fit, they will disappear."_

_If there was ever a time Midori should have lied, it should have been then._

_And she should have told the girl to go home._

_To stop following her._

_To tell her not __to__ look so damn enamored…_

_But there the girl was a day later, parked hesitantly at the front doorstep of Capsule Corporation, doe-eyed and blushing, bowing and sputtering words of gratitude._

…

Scoffing quietly (though not without a smile), I abandoned my bath towel for some more archaic costume attire; I was going to be a pirate that evening, equipped with my sash and baggy, shredded clothing, boots and bandana.

Though I wasn't in it for the candy; really, if it wasn't baked fresh, fancy chocolate, or frozen then I wasn't too big on sweets; just ice cream, chocolate and pastries, thank you.

After clothing myself in a tank top and the puffy Highlander-type shirt, there was a faint knock at my door. I knew right away that it wasn't Gohan (who would also be joining us) or Bulma, or anyone that lived in Capsule Corp. for that matter. This energy signal was always so faint and wavering, worrying me at times.

I made my way to the door, opening it with a light smirk that was returned by a heavy blush and timid smile.

"Hiii…"

That's right; I was still in my underwear…

"Welcome, welcome." I ushered her in; she was always a little loopy when we met up. It took her a few minutes to come back down to Earth so-to-speak.

I wondered about her sometimes…

* * *

"There she is! My mommy!" Lattice rushed ecstatically to the older female, and for a moment it seemed as if the two made solid contact when he hugged her thigh—that is until Midori moved, fazing right through the boy's arms as she complained of it being cold while making a grab for her pants.

Goku smiled sympathetically, though the child did not seem too bothered and continued to tail his mother with a grin. It dawned on the older Saiyan just then that indeed, they must have been in West City! Bulma, and _Vegeta_, and Trunks— What if... "CAN YOU HEAR MEEE?" He decided to shout.

In vain.

As Midori moved around the room to gather and inspect her pirate clothing, Goku exhaled deeply, surprised. There she was, right in front of him and she had no idea...

A rough cough interrupted his train of thought as he glanced at the redheaded girl who was hunched over at the edge of Midori's bed, coughing into the red sleeve of her sweater.

Midori regarded her with a lowered stare. "Sam… Are you sure you're alright?"

It must have been a frequent occurrence.

"Mmhm," replied _Sam _as she sat up fully, though obviously weak.

Midori sat down next to the girl and draped an arm over her shoulder, pulling her in close. "We need to get you healthier. Don't those people take care of you over there?" It was a light inquiry, albeit serious as Midori allowed Sam to rest her head on her shoulder.

Goku watched on idly as Lattice sat beside the two, kicking his dangling feet, and for a moment Sam seemed depressed.

"They don't care…" but she looked up, locking eyes with Midori who stared back with a knowing expression, and then giggled, "You're such a mom."

Midori straightened at the accusation, both brows raised as she replied, "Well now, I don't mind that. I _was_ a mother after all."

When Sam let out a small gasp, the female Saiyan spoke softly of Lattice and a censored version of his passing as a small child. Ironically, he sat beside her with a thumb in his mouth. There was a faraway look in Midori's eyes as she smiled softly at times and frowned at others, occasionally rubbing the girl's arm.

Goku listened somberly, memories coming back to him of their fight with Broly when he'd first heard of Lattice. The day of Cell's defeat, when she pleaded with him not to send Gohan out against the android. She was showing that motherly side again. He wanted to lay a hand on her shoulder, but with his current form it would be a lost attempt.

"I care about you, Samantha," Midori finally stated with the calm smile that Goku was familiar with. "Like a daughter." She finished with a brief, yet tight hug as she rested her chin on top of Sam's head.

"Now come on," Midori smirked. "I've got that witch costume waiting for you."

As the female Saiyan strode to her closet, Sam fell back onto Midori's pillows, her top incisors working on her bottom lip as a bright cherry tint caught her face. Slowly, the girl began to smile as she stared at the ceiling.

Goku scratched his cheek. 'She's a bit odd…'

For the next half hour or so, the two females conversed lightly while preparing themselves, Midori's husky tones contrasting with Samantha's young, girlish voice.

* * *

"Say _cheese!_"

My eyebrows furrowed, though I managed a grin. "_Cheese?_" Such an odd use of the word…

"Cheeeese!" three higher pitched voices exclaimed from my left, right, and around my knees.

Bulma lowered her camera to reveal fresh and glowing skin after her bath and facial routine. "And doesn't my little man just look _adorable?!"_

Her three-year old son smirked, his chubby cheeks pronounced. Trunks had already learned that he could have his way with just about any woman by flashing a charming smile; the fake whiskers only contributed to his cause.

And I was already shaking my head at what the next decade might bring.

"Yeah," I replied, scooping the three year old up with one arm and holding him like small livestock against my hip. "Careful, I can tell it's already getting to his head."

Bulma laughed as she fanned out the Polaroid picture, and I regarded the young teens to my left and right with a light smirk of my own. "Are we ready to ravage this city of its candy?"

Samantha in her dark purple witch attire and Gohan in his Street Fighter "Ryu" costume both exclaimed excitedly, "Yeah!" as they held up their pillow cases in a victorious manner. Trunks copied them with his pumpkin basket, pulling giggles and swoons from the group.

"Okay, okay." I closed my eyes with a chuckle. "Let's go, guys."

And so we finally made our way to the streets, bidding Bulma a farewell; I made sure to keep a safe grip on my nephew's hand as I lead the trio into the City.

When we entered the downtown district, I smiled as I heard the familiar Halloween classic, "Monster Mash". The buildings were progressively more festive and other Trick-or-treaters were making their way out; mostly kids but quite a few teens, and college students even. In just a few minutes we saw a couple of old movie-style vampires, a werewolf, a "sexy" cat (at which Samantha scoffed at for their lack of clothing) and a… toilet?

_What?_

Gohan duly noted the walking commode with a surprised laugh. "Wow, people sure are getting creative these days, righ…"

I cast the thirteen year old a sideways glance, still somewhat laughing at the costume though waiting for Gohan to finish. I stopped in my tracks, causing Trunks to bump into my thigh and Samantha to hum in question. "Gohan… what are you doing?" I asked cautiously, my smile fading.

It wasn't like the boy to space out; he was sharp and intuitive… and currently staring off into space, several steps behind us.

"Hey, guys…" He faced us looking rather disconcerted. "Did you feel that?"

My heart sank as I locked eyes with Gohan. Could there have been a new enemy?

People walking on the sidewalk passed us by, some giving us rude looks for blocking the way.

I continued to stare at Gohan evenly as I felt out for any odd energy source. "..No." I finally replied, blinking slowly.

Samantha's dark blue eyes enlarged as she gasped dramatically. "Were you guys using your super powers just then?! OMIGOSHTHAWASOCOOL—"

I slapped a hand over the girl's mouth (which didn't stop more muffled exclamations) as I narrowed my eyes at the half Saiyan. "_What_ did you feel?" My grip on Trunks' hand unconsciously tightened in a protective manner.

Gohan seemed distressed for a moment. "Something just feels… really _evil_."

Ugh, Kais…

Samantha piped up: "It is All Hallow's Eve, you know…" She started gesticulating in a spooky manner. "The spirits of the dead are roooaming amongst the liviiing."

I sighed and glanced off to the side, attempting to feel out anything abnormal again…

Nothing.

My eyebrows furrowed a bit. "Everyone, let's not get paranoid yet. If it's a real threat, they'll make themselves known. We can't do anything about it right now." I glanced down at Trunks who shared my exact facial expression. "And I'm not worried about ghosts right now either." I quirked a smile for the two teens and they finally acquiesced into continuing.

* * *

"I SAID GET BACK!"

Goku swung once more at the shadowy figure trying to latch onto his son. Just as his fist was about to make contact, the being dispersed into the twilight sun with a low, sinister and garbled laugh.

"_Darn_ it!" Goku looked back to Gohan and the others as they entered a shopping center, his stomach churning uncomfortably. Lattice whimpered quietly from behind his legs.

There was something on the loose in West City with its sights set on Gohan…

"And I can't do anything but slow it down…" Goku's fists were shaking. 'Hang on, Gohan…' He sprinted after the four familiar faces, phasing through human bodies and cars, Midori's son in tow.

The thought of _his_ son, the world's young savior, being possessed by a monster…

'It doesn't make sense how I was able to fend off Bojack back then, but not this thing now!'

The two Saiyans found their way into a large concourse with fake bats and spiders hanging from the ceiling, and small vendors passing out candy. People of all ages swarmed the area in spooky costumes, but nothing instilled pure, unadulterated terror in Goku more than the sexy nurse walking straight towards him with her giant—

"_NEEDLE!_" Goku shot into the air before the scantily-clad woman and her three-foot prop could walk through him.

Lattice blinked with large eyes at his mentor's befuddling behavior, a single sweat drop manifesting and sliding down his temple. "Goku!" the boy raised his hands up to the ceiling, leaning his head back to better see the older Saiyan latched around a web-covered chandelier. "Whaaat are you doiiiing?"

Goku looked down and made a few uneasy noises before laughing nervously. Despite being dead, his heart was racing and body jittery. "Ehehe… don't mind me, kiddo!" he called to Lattice before dropping down lightly to the floor. A few passing humans complained of a draft as Goku frowned in confusion. "I lost them… _shoot_."

His keen eyes filtered through the crowds of disguised civilians. A moon bounce here, a demented jack-in-the-box there, but no Gohan, Midori, or Trunks. Not being able to feel the power levels of two of the strongest people he knew truly frustrated Goku.

'Man…'

* * *

Cheap-looking corpses lined the walls with cobwebs and other "scary" props. Audio of rattling chains and loud thunder claps, with _painfully_ fake screaming accented them like an overly cliché horror film.

Like a parody, one might have said.

And in that blackened corridor, with a furrowed brow and straightened lips, I brought both hands up to cup my mouth. "BO-RIIIIING."

The slapstick-outfitted skeleton and zombie waving their arms and making embarrassing noises in front of me suddenly ceased their behavior, staring back in shock.

There was a high-pitched laugh to my right before Samantha took the liberty to slap her own hand over her mouth whilst Gohan blushed.

And then all of a sudden my pint-sized nephew spoke up: "Bo-_riiing!_"

I couldn't control what bubbled up and consequently let out a hearty laugh, my head slightly falling back as I grabbed my stomach. "You said it, Trunks!"

The costumed haunted housemen suddenly took up offended stances. "Oh yeah?!" one of them pointed their finger _right_ in my face. "If you're so bored then why don't _you_ guys try doin' the job _for_ us?!"

During this short-lived rant, several other people venturing the poorly decorated maze piled up behind us, as we were blocking the so-called flow of traffic.

I casually pushed the man's hand away with a chuckle as I proceeded to wipe my other hand over my jaw. "Alright…" The four of us were far from scary: A cute witch, a pirate, a small tiger, and a martial arts videogame character. 'But I can manage just fine…'

There was a moment of silence filled with curious stares as I gazed past the men in concentration.

Gohan's hands shot up immediately. "Wait, that's _not_ a good idea—"

"_HAAAA!_" My energy flooded the cramped hallway, causing the surrounding area to light up and electrical wires to pop in protest to the overwhelming force. Each person fell to the floor from energy gusts, a few of them screaming about 'a monster like Cell'.

The skeleton and zombie before me were stuck like two deer in front of headlights as I smirked openly, baring my naturally sharpened canines.

Stepping forward with my left foot, I stomped the floor hard, causing the ground to noticeably shake as if a minor earthquake was occurring.

I could see their pupils contracting as my smirk disappeared.

My voice then came out unnaturally loud and echo-ey as my energy caused the room to flash again—

"_BOO!_"

—and no sooner the two men to shoot to their feet and off into the darkened maze.

I snorted in amusement as the hallway we were in cleared out with shrieks and candy flying.

Trunks clapped loudly, jumping up and down on his small, tiger onesie-clad feet. "Yeah! Mimi did it!"

Gohan seemed a bit exasperated, though. "Why do you always do that?" he asked through his hand.

"Haha, lighten up, kid," I said in response to his face-palming action. I tried not to smile as I quirked an eyebrow.

I knew the boy wasn't angry, but earnest. I _had_ proven to be a bit naughty in the last couple years; there were my vigilante activities by night, and just plain showing off my alien capabilities. If a man hit on Bulma, I'd quite literally kick his ass up the block. I also had no problem flying away from authorities for a few minor discrepancies with the law here and there.

Oh well.

"Because it's _funny_." I smirked as Gohan nearly fell over from shock.

Samantha, who had been pushed against the wall and down to a squat, was attempting to stand.

'Ah, shit…'

I grimaced, remembering how frail she was. "Here, let me help you…" I took the girl's hands lightly in my own and pulled her up; her legs were shaking. "Do you need me to carry you?"

Her eyes widened for a moment before she looked away, her face noticeably flushed. "I'll be fine." I could see her trying to fight a smile, too.

…

My eyelids fell and bottom lip inched forward as I contemplated the dark road ahead.

It was about nine o' clock; the wind blew down the street in a tunnel-like effect, causing a low whistle amongst the scarcely leaved trees.

And there was not a soul but the four of ours on that deserted avenue…

…Leading straight into the cemetery.

"Let's do it," I decided, folding my arms over my chest confidently.

Trunks was oblivious as he skipped in time with my long strides down the deserted path, his filled pumpkin basket swinging back and forth. Gohan was silent to my right, scrutinizing the contents of his candy bag. Meanwhile, Samantha, to his right, seemed just a _taaad_ nervous.

"Why are we walking through this scary old place again?" The redhead grumbled, bringing her pillow case full of sweets up to her face, hiding everything from her eyes down.

I inquired back with a teasing note, "I thought Halloween was supposed to be _scary?_ We're eating candy here tonight!"

Gohan added brightly "Don't worry! I'll protect you from the monsters!" and gave a cheesy, familiar grin that made me smile as well.

Samantha grumbled some more and then silence fell. Not a single noise littered the air with the exception of our own footsteps, breathing, and rustling of plastic-wrapped candies. Even the trees seemed to be holding their breath, as if trying not to draw our attention while we passed a series of gravestones.

"…Dori…"

"Hmm?" I glanced over at Gohan with raised brows. "You've never called me that before." I added, remembering the one person that had.

"Call you what?"

"Dori." My eyebrows furrowed as I looked over at him fully. "I _heard_ you."

Gohan blinked, waving his hands in defense. "I swear I didn't open my mouth!"

I chuckled, although slightly confused. "So I'm just hearing things then… right." I smirked at the thought of ghosts trying to communicate with me.

_Waiiit_, what was that..?

I paused, holding my arm out to stop the two to my right while pulling my nephew closer on the other side.

Gohan leaned forward curiously, throwing me a questioning look.

"Something's following us…"

I didn't believe in the human's notion of ghosts, but I did know that those who passed usually left behind a residual type of energy… _if_ they were powerful enough.

'Which is why I don't think a ghoul is what's stalking us…'

"TRICK OR TREAT, MOTHER FUCKERS, GIVE US YOUR CASH!"

Three handguns were pointed at us from several teens wearing ski masks and I couldn't help but draw back at their audacity, my eyebrows high. Gohan immediately moved to shield Samantha, who was whimpering as she held onto his shoulder.

_What_ the _hell?_

"Uuuh." I momentarily let go of Trunks' hand to hold mine up incredulously. "Does it _look_ like we have any cash?" I stepped forward, causing the middle man to falter.

"Hey, bitch! Don't come any closer!"

Heh…

"Fine." I held my hand up, palm facing them, then clutched my fist around the air.

All three gun barrels suddenly curved upwards, bending to my will.

The teens in the background (male, judging by their distressed noises) dropped their weapons as the one in front stared, dumbfounded; his knees were knocking together.

"Are we finished here?" I asked, glaring at the young men.

The trio immediately turned tail, screaming about monsters (_sigh_) as they hauled ass across the graveyard.

Shaking my head at their antics, I placed my hands on my hips. "I _never_…"

Well, _yes_, I had.

"My hero~!" Samantha practically skipped from around Gohan (who seemed a bit disappointed to have her leave) and into my arms as she squeezed my waist, nuzzling her face into my chest.

I laughed lightly at her reaction; it was always like that every time I did something out of the 'usual'.

When she removed her face from my partly exposed bosom, Samantha looked down at my side and asked, "Where's Trunks?"

I whipped around, remembering that I'd let go of his hand. "For goodness sake!" I threw my hands up. "That boy!" There was a reason I had kept a good grip on Trunks and it sure as hell wasn't to coddle him.

Gohan, always being on top of things, sensed the child out during my brief rant. "He's right over here, guys." He pointed out, amused.

I craned my neck in the direction Gohan was pointing to and proceeded to walk past the teen and over to a large gravestone. I immediately spotted the tiger suit. "There you are… Trunks?" I folded my arms, planting my feet firmly in a wide stance. "What's so interesting?"

My brother's son was squatting at the side of the grave marker, peaking around the back of it; at what, I had no clue. He then pointed around the backside and shot a look at me that meant the answer should have been obvious. "Him!"

Instead of walking around I opted to simply lean over the stone to look for myself.

And… nothing...

I then stood abruptly, my breath bated. "Let's go, Trunks." I tried not to stare at any particular thing in general.

"I'm seriously!" he insisted with his slightly imperfect toddler speech.

"Yes, and I believe you, but it's time to go, _now._" I held my hand out to him with a stern look, in which I received a glare as he finally stood, giving in to my command.

I sighed heavily as I strode back over to the others. "Okay, we're going home." I stated in a finalizing tone despite the 'awws' I got in return. "Grab on everyone." I held out my free arm for Gohan and Samantha to grab hold of.

Once each person had a firm grasp, I tried concentrating on transmitting back to Capsule Corporation. It felt odd not being able to place my fingers on my forehead while executing the technique, but it wouldn't be a difficult task.

The graveyard disappeared as the familiar Capsule Corp. lawn appeared underneath us.

"Close enough," I murmured, noticing Bulma, my target, smoking on a nearby balcony.

Samantha suddenly poked my side, and when I turned to the girl she appeared ready to burst with excitement.

"You know what they say about kids being able to see ghosts, don't you~?"

"Oh please." I rolled my eyes as I lead the three inside without another word.

"We should have a séance!"

I allowed Trunks, followed by Samantha and Gohan to enter first. "No." I closed the door after myself.

"Pleeease?"

"No."

Gohan snickered in amusement as Samantha and I went back and forth.

I shook my head. "I thought you were scared of that kind of stuff."

"And I thought you didn't believe in that kinda stuff!" Samantha had her hands at her waist, trying to look serious but losing miserably to her excited grin. "Besides, it's zombies I'm afraid of, not _ghosts_." She replied, removing her pointy witch hat and momentarily covering her face with it.

I paused on the staircase we'd arrived at and stared at the redhead with the same expression I'd initially worn in the haunted attraction. "Fine. Fine! Alright," I gave in as she cheered and Gohan laughed again. "And for the record, I do _not_ believe in that kind of stuff."

But that still hadn't explained what had happened at the cemetery moments before…

_Trunks was squatting at the side of a grave marker, peaking around the back of it; at what, Midori had no clue. He then pointed around the backside and shot a look at her that meant the answer should have been obvious. "Him!"_

_Instead of walking around, the older Saiyan opted to simply lean over the stone to see for herself…_

_Midori blinked, seeing nothing. So she looked back at her nephew…_

_And her heart stopped._

'_No… no… I see nothing.' Midori looked away, completely betraying her fear with indifference. 'No long black hair… not those eyes…'_

"_Let's go, Trunks."_

"_I'm seriously!" he insisted with his slightly imperfect toddler speech._

"_Yes, and I believe you, but it's time to go, _now_." She held her hand out to him with a stern look, willing herself not to start shaking._

* * *

Goku hunched over from exhaustion, panting heavily. How many times had he hollered Midori's name? If he'd been alive, Goku would have ascended _past_ an ascended super Saiyan!

'But she _did_ here me!' The halo-baring hero sighed, looking down at Lattice who'd begun to tug at his pant-leg.

"I don't want that monster to get my mommy…"

"I know," Goku replied softly. "I'll make sure it doesn't happen, I promise."

Since Midori's display at the mall, its attention had turned to her and Goku made sure to stay on her heels from there on out.

So, he eventually relocated the group, minus Gohan and Trunks (to his relief), setting up a card table in an unused room. The redheaded girl was carrying some kind of strange box.

'Ooo-ee-ja?' Goku scratched his cheek with an index finger, trying to sound out what the item read.

Midori plopped down in a picnic chair, folding one leg over the other. "So how do we go about a séance ritual?" she asked while removing her pirate bandana and flinging it aside. The lack of amusement on the Saiyaness' face was noted by Goku.

"_Uuuhmm_~ well you just kinda talk to spirits I guess?" Samantha smiled in embarrassment, but continued on as if there were no problem, positioning the board in the center of the table along with some kind of wooden pointer.

Midori turned her head to the side, keeping eye contact as she arched an eyebrow. "If I didn't give a damn about these kinds of things I'd be worried."

Goku hummed thoughtfully as he folded his arms and walked to the far side of the table so that each female was on either side of him. "I wonder if this will actually work…"

Lattice scampered to his left, at the corner of the table so that he was in between the two older Saiyans. His eyes were just a few inches higher than the table top, so he stood in his tippy toes for a better view. "I wanna talk to my mommy too!" he exclaimed.

Goku laughed. "Yeah, me too, kiddo." He was secretly surprised at how well the boy could comprehend the differences between the living and dead; communication, ability, the senses, energy… Goku had just barely been able to get Midori's attention while Lattice had practically had a conversation with Trunks and succeeded in showing himself to his mother!

Thoughts of Bojack's attack on Earth two years prior riddled Goku's mind once more. 'I was able to knock him clear off of Gohan… _why_ can't I touch anything now?'

The only difference he could think of was that back then he'd used instant transmission to return to the living plane, which was against the rules…

"_**GOKU! WHERE IN THE WORLD ARE YOU?!"**_

Lattice slapped his hands over his eyes as Goku looked up casually with a thoughtful expression.

"Oh, it's King Kai!" Goku smiled sheepishly at the ceiling. "Well, we're on Earth… but—there's a big problem!"

"_**You're darn right there is! What's with you and breaking the rules?!"**_

The deceased Saiyans grimaced at their mentor's tone.

"_**You two aren't supposed to be in the living world and you know it!"**_

"Gosh King Kai, it was an accident!" Goku rubbed the back of his head as he addressed the voice echoing from above. "I just jumped into a lake in the Other World and wound up in a bath tub here, I swear!"

It _was_ the truth…

"But King Kai, listen! There's this evil spirit type thing following around strong warriors!" He clenched both fists at waist level as he continued to gaze upwards. "It was after my son and now it's After Midori!" Goku heard the king sigh before falling quiet.

"…_**Yes, I see this is true now. Goku, you're not supposed to know this, but…"**_

Goku glanced down briefly, watching as Midori and Samantha placed their fingertips on the wooden pointer together, before he looked back up.

King Kai explained that around that time of the year, Halloween, many Earthlings liked to call on the dead by means of rituals. The spirits traveled through nearby portals in high energy locations. Most of the summoners had no idea that their efforts worked!

Lattice jumped up and down in excitement, causing Midori's right leg to twitch as her gaze shifted nervously around the room.

"_**The wandering spirit you speak of is very old… it must have taken a true psychic—someone of Baba's caliber—to summon it!"**_

Goku sighed hard, looking down at Lattice with a troubled expression. "A witch, aye?" he recalled Baba, Master Roshi's tiny sister, floating on her crystal ball. "How do I get rid of it, King Kai?"

"_**You don't!" he exclaimed. "Either the person performing the ritual does, or we'll have to call on Baba!**_

* * *

"Uuuhm… oh!" Samantha straightened up a bit. "So you just ask around to see if anyone's home!"

My left brow had been arched for some time and never ceased to move as I sat, listening to all of Samantha's explanations. Our finger tips were on the pointer, which was the indicator to what spirits were saying. It would apparently slide on its own without us moving our hands and point to letters on the board (all twenty-six English letters were written there).

"Spirits from the otherworld, we call on you." Sam started out softly. "Join us tonight on this Halloween." Her eyes then slid shut.

There was a moment of silence in which I blinked slowly, my eyes trained on the _Yes_ and _No _occupying the top corners of the Ouija board.

The young teen cracked open one eye curiously. "Is there anyone here?"

I tried not to smirk. "Come out come out wherever you a—" The planchette underneath our fingers suddenly ripped away from us and over to my right, leaving us both with our hands on the thin board. I then shot up from my seat, heart thumping. "What the _hell?!_"

The heart-shaped pointer… had moved _right_ under the _Yes_.

I looked back up at Samantha; the redhead sat slack-jawed, hands up as if under arrest, eyes wide. I inquired gruffly, "Did you do this?" pointing at the table.

The response I received was the pointer sliding over to the _No._

"_Ooooh shit!_" I turned around, covering my mouth with one fist and grabbing the back of the chair with my other hand. "_Hooo_-my gosh. You're kidding me…" I swiveled back around and down into my seat with one swift movement, my heart drumming beneath my chest.

This was ACTUALY happening!

"Who is it?!" I asked loudly, forgetting the rules.

"Wait! Oh my god, we need to get our hands back on!" Samantha exclaimed, fanning her face in an attempt to calm down.

I laughed, scooting my chair in quickly and reaching out simultaneously to the planchette with her.

Samantha cleared her throat lightly. "Erm… may I ask who we are speaking with?"

The ground beneath us began trembling, causing the young teen to gasp.

I rolled my eyes. "It's just my brother, probably getting frustrated at the new droids Bulma's father designed." I chuckled at the thought; they must have been giving him a workout.

The pointer suddenly jerked, drawing us back in. It slowly inched lower down the board (up for me) and across the alphabetical list.

L

Okay…

A

Alright…

T

…Oh… O-okay…

* * *

"I ferget the letters!"

Goku, who was holding Lattice over the table by the boy's waist, was at a loss for words. "…Eeeeh, what do you mean? You can't spell your own _name?_" He craned his neck to the side to view Midori, who was starting to look uneasy. "Well… you're only three… and it's not like your mother was _Chi-Chi_…"

"Goku, help me!" the boy kicked his feet a bit in midair.

"Uuuuh…" The older Saiyan glanced upward as he tried to exercise his common spelling knowledge. "Just add an I and an S, I guess."

Lattice seemed to contemplate the incorrect spelling as he was held over the board, arms outstretched to the pointer. "Mmkay." He finally decided.

But before Lattice could move the wooden piece, the ground began rumbling once more; both of them looked over to the wall that was behind the human redhead as it glowed for a split second.

'Uh-oh—'

The dry wall exploded, and the entire room (and more) was swept away; in that same breath Goku pulled Lattice into him and spun around, holding the boy against his chest despite Lattice's cries for his mother. Earth's hero was forced to take a knee to protect both of their heads, regardless of the debris going straight through their ghostly forms; he wouldn't take the chance. He knew it was no ordinary explosion.

Goku squinted through the smoke. 'Oh no, Midori!'

Lattice, being much stronger than the average three year-old, managed to push himself away from his teacher and run into the obscuring dust. "MOMMY!" he cried.

"LATTICE, WAIT!" Goku reached behind him, but Lattice was just far enough that his small arm slipped through Goku's fingers, resulting in the older warrior falling awkwardly on his butt.

The smoke dissipated as Goku immediately righted his body. Steeling himself for the worst, the Saiyan suddenly breathed out a sigh of relief as he saw Lattice standing next to his mother.

Midori stood with murderous intent on her face, a barrier surrounding both a disheveled (but safe) Samantha and herself. "I don't know _what_ you were just thinking…" she spoke up, addressing someone Goku had yet to notice. "But I _SWEAR_ you _won't_ be able to walk tomorrow, Vegeta!"

Goku's eyes nearly popped out of their sockets when he saw, indeed, _VEGETA_ of all people! 'But why?' Goku felt a bout of queasiness brewing in his stomach at the unexpected event, wondering how many people Vegeta had potentially endangered, and wondering if the prince was even thinking along those lines. 'And Bulma..!'

That's when he saw it: Behind Vegeta, like a large, looming shadow, was the same dark apparition from before…

**/~/**


End file.
